


Wolves of Wolf Den Farm

by DragonbornLives2665



Series: Shadow's Adventures in Different Universes [2]
Category: Stardew Valley (Video Game)
Genre: Abby and the OC isn’t until the newest oneshots as it was a relatively new idea, F/F, Family Fluff, Fluff, One Shot Collection, Penny is A-Dork-able, Shadow has Issues, Slight swearing, They are a-dork-able together, Werewolves, slight AU, some drama
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-14
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2018-12-29 20:57:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 22,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12093288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DragonbornLives2665/pseuds/DragonbornLives2665
Summary: Funny and fluffy, sometimes very dramatic, little semi-alternate universe inspired by WaltzQueen's "Red Iron Poppy". One-shots. Wilderness Farm Plot. Werewolves are giant wolves with fur matching hair color.





	1. Life

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Red Iron Poppy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11803365) by [WaltzQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaltzQueen/pseuds/WaltzQueen). 



The Wolves of Wolf's Den Farm

(Shadow)

"....Grandpa's farm..." I sigh as I look around at the forest encroaching on the small hut my grandfather passed on to me. "...Mother Nature sure wants yeh back, eh?..."

It takes a couple seasons, but I manage to return the land to it's former glory. After that, Wolf's Den surpasses any of the records my grandfather and our ancestors ever set and Stardew Valley is the most prosperous it has ever been.

I am just finishing watering one mid-Spring morning when my sensitive hearing picks up the thudding of boots behind me and I turn before I am almost tackled over by 4 somethings, all relatively small (smaller than me even as I stand at a measly 5 foot 4).

"Aunt Shadow!!!" Vincent, a boy with a shock of red hair yells happily, laughing his head off.

"Hi!" A little girl named Jas, shouts quieter than her best friend.

"....We wan fwom mum-ah..." One of the two youngest, my 3 year old daughter, Artemis, mumbles around her thumb and her twin brother, Apollo, just giggles as he hangs on the front of my neck.

"'Ey, guys!" I laugh and stand with them easily hanging off of me, Vincent on my back like I am giving him a piggyback ride and Jas hanging off my arm as a monkey of some sort and Artemis being held in my free arm while Apollo continues to hang from my neck.

Its a perk of being a werewolf: being able to be so strong yet not show physically. Any mortal with my werewolf strength would look similar to a bodybuilder. However, I am still compact, slightly muscular looking, Shadow.

"Of course this is where you went!" A new voice sounds off and I turn with the children frozen in fear as they hang on me. "Vincent, Jas! Shadow has work to do! Artemis and Apollo, don't scare me like that again!!"

A certain copper haired woman is coming into view from the path leading to town and I grin widely at her.

"Aw, c'mon, babe..." I say to her as she gets closer. "...Exercise an' learnin' go hand-in-hand..."

My mate looks at me, annoyed that I would take the kids side. I just peck her cheek with a kiss and hand her our daughter.

"Shadow... Can we do the lesson on the farm today? I don't think they'll cooperate if I try to take them back to the Library." She sighs as I drop to kneel so Vincent can get off my back and Jas and Apollo can easily reach the ground.

"'Course yeh can, Penny..." I tell her and stand to hug her once I am free of the pups. "...Et's yer farm, teh..."

"I know, I know. I just do not want to get in your way as you work." My wife chuckles against my collarbone, only managing to reach that high as she is even smaller than me: shorter in height and more lithe compared to my own slightly rough edged body.

"...Never be in the way..." I whisper in her ear and catch her lips in a kiss. "...Love yeh..."

"I love you, too... Dr. Shadow Stryder." She says when we part.

I pout at that, not liking when she calls me by my official title.

"Mrs. Penny Stryder." I tease back and even after 4 years together, she still blushes adorably at hearing her married full name.

The children are running through the fields of crops, chasing my farmdogs, Alpha and Beta. I turn us to watch them, holding each other close.

"Shadow..." Penny sighs and rests her head against my shoulder.

"Hmm?" I hum, glancing to see her distressed face. "Whu-whut's wrong?"

"Do you want more kids?”

”Whu... Y-yeah... I love our pups. I'd love any pup of ours... Why do yeh ask...?"

"I went to see Harvey today." She shyly looks up at me. "Shadow, I'm pregnant again."

It takes a moment to process what she just said, but I am overjoyed when it clicks.

"R-reall'?!" I ask and she smiles fully at my excitement.

”Yes, Shadow, yes!" She giggles as I get hyper and she can feel both my wolf spirit and human side are ecstatic at the news through her end of our bond.

Yes, my wife is also a werewolf. She asked me to change her during our honeymoon. I had explained to her a long while ago that even though she was mortal, my wolf had chosen her to be my lifemate. That wonderful night after our wedding, I added onto my original explaination. Adding that my wolf would compel me protect her and our family (if we decided to have one) with my life based solely on instinct alone and that separation for extended periods would literally begin to kill me inside, painfully.

We hunted magnificently that night. Side by side. New coppery fur almost mixing with my own silver as we ran through the forest, feeling the wind on our muzzles and soft earth beneath our paws.

My wife must be able to tell that I am thinking of that glorious hunt and I feel her wolf brush up against mine through the bond.  
I simply smirk at her and kiss her, pretending to not hear the footfalls of the twins running up.

“...Later... Yeh have some students teh educate..." I chuckle at her tiny whine and rest my forehead against hers. "...I love yeh."  
She smiles and we feel two little bodies crash into our legs.

"Mum!!" Apollo squeals as I pick him up, his copper hair like Penny's all wild from playing.

"...Mum-ah up?..." Artemis asks Penny and hugs tight when she is lifted, her naturally silver hair she got from me in her eyes until my wife tucks it behind her pale (again from me) ears.

“Apollo. Artemis." I get my pups' attentions. "Yeh need teh listen teh yer mum-ah..."

"Oh-kay mum..." The pair mumble and I look around for Vincent and Jas, catching them inspecting one of my berry bushes.

"Not done growin' yet! Yeh'll get sick if yeh try teh eat 'em now!" I call over to stop them from picking any of the unripe fruits.

They jump in shock, probably thought I wouldn't have seen them, before running to the picnic table in the shade where my mate has their tutoring sessions on the farm and sit like they were not just caught doing anything wrong.

After setting Apollo next to them, I kiss my wife once more and head back to tending the crops, listening as she goes about her lesson on spelling for our pups and basic algebra for the two older pups. I catch her watching me once or twice, so I make a small show of tilling the dirt for some new seeds until one of the children requires her assistance with their worksheet.

This is my life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Vincent considers Shadow an aunt even though they are not related.


	2. I'm Yours

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shadow and new girlfriend Penny go to Shadow's first Fall Fair. Fluffy at first then drama and more fluff. Might be a bit rambly sorry.

"Shadow! There you are!" A familiar voice cuts over the tourist pandemonium of my first Fall Festival that is already overwhelming my sensitive hearing and causing a minor headache to begin forming.

  
Penny, who was leading me away from the crowd, looks at me confusedly as I stop quickly and jerk my head up.

  
"Dad!" I yell, turning on a dime to launch myself at the man. "When did yeh get in-teh town?!"

  
"Woah! Easy there, pup!" My father laughs as he hugs me tight.

  
Then he notices a shocked Penny.  
"Who is this lovely lady, Shadow?" He asks me and I let go, blushing already as I move to grab my girlfriend's hand.

  
"U-uh..." I stumble over my words.  
My dad seems to figure it out and I see the amusement in his eyes.

  
"Hello, miss." He nods his head at Penny with a grin. "My name is Bear. Bear Stryder."

  
It seems to make sense to the redhead now and she looks between my father and I with a surprised look.

  
"...I-I look like m' grandma, Penny... ’is mum..." I tell her when she seems confused again because you can only vaguely see resemblance of my father in me.

  
"Oh." She says quietly and blushes so cutely that I cannot stop myself from kissing her cheek quickly. "Shadow!"  
I grin stupidly at her and she smiles shyly back at me.

  
"I'm glad my little girl has found someone like you, Penny was it?" My father says truthfully and lays a hand on my girlfriend's shoulder before glancing around to make sure we are alone. "Someone who will accept her for who she is... not hate her for what she is...... Now why don't you two run along, I'm certain you were leaving all this noise behind for somewhere quieter." He takes a deep breath and sighs. "Might do that myself... It is a bit too loud."

  
I take Penny's hand in mine again and lead her to the less populated graveyard where the fortune teller is. Rasmodius nods at us with a kind smile as we pass before he returns to watching the clown closely.

  
"Oooo! Shadow, we should get our futures told!" Penny suddenly lights up and no way am I going to say no to her.

  
"Hello, young ones." The old woman in the booth says to us when we approach. "Here to learn your destinies?" We give her our 100 gold each as payment and she begins. "I see a farm... on the edge of town? Yes, on the edge of town... You..." She points a wrinkly finger at me, more accurately in my direction as her eyes never leave the orb in front of her. "You are hard at work tending the great fields when suddenly you turn and four little humans tackle you... two older... two young... What's this?... Something startles the children and you just smile as someone scolds them as she... yes she... Hmmm..." She glances at Penny then back at her crystal ball and back again. "She looks very close to the young lady next to you..." Penny and I glance at each other and blush a little. "The two older children, one with red hair and freckles and the other with dark brown hair and naturally tanned skin, are easily distracted by two dogs that are running through the fields as the younger children that appear to look a lot like yourselves cling to you two like leeches...... However, even they are drawn away to chase the dogs and you..." She points towards Penny . "You... It seems you tell her her something that she can't believe and you both get really excited....... Oh, my vision is growing dark, young ones... It has been years since I have had a vision this clear and it is tiring... I must rest."

  
"H-have ah good evenin', ma'am." I tell her as I lead a cherry red faced Penny to a nearby bench. "Wow..."

  
Only being together about a week, I am unsure how much affection Penny is okay with in public. However, she goes easy on me as she rests her head on my shoulder and hugs me tight as we face each other. I gladly return the gesture and nuzzle into her neck with my arms wrapped around her snuggly.

  
"Shadow..." she whispers and squeezes me once before pulling back to look me in the eyes. "Wh-what do y-you think of that?..."

  
I grin and pull her closer again causing her to squeak in suprise.

  
"...I'm... happy..." I mumble into her ear. "I-I-I...I love yeh, Penny!" I end a little louder than intended and pulled away to curl in on myself in fear she will say something like it is too early for that.  
When she does not speak and I hear a sniffle I tentatively look up at her to see her eyes watering. I am about to freak out when I notice her wide smile and the fact her eyes are so bright and cheery.  
"P-Penny?..." I ask and rest my hand against the side of her jaw to carefully wipe tears from her cheek. "P'eas... d-don' cry..."

  
She nuzzles into my hand and closes her eyes with a content sigh that strikes my heart with love.

  
"Shadow, I'm not crying because you upset me." She tells me knowing I have issues telling emotions sometimes.

  
Even my own confuse me on occasion and it frustrates me that I cannot figure them out. It is part of the reason I tend to avoid social situations. Despite this complication, people who I trust enough to open up to tell me I am great to talk to. They say it is because I genuinely care about them and do not want to see them hurt and if I do see them hurt, I do anything I can to cheer them up. Trust is hard for me. Only certain people earn it. People like Penny, Abigail, Maru, Emily, Lewis, and Jodi can get it almost instantly. Others, I struggle to open up and give a chance, they remind me too much of the 'popular' kids at school. My school was on the smallish side so everyone knew everyone. The head jocks were also some of the smartest in our grade. The band kids also dabbled in drama and JROTC (Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps). There were no clear stereotypes one would find in a normal high school. It was good, but at the same time it produced new problems. If you didn't fit into any category (or too many in my case), you were labeled a misfit. Some, like me, were even shunned by the misfits, so we kinda sorta banded together to be known as the outcasts and stuck together. That was several years ago now. Since then we have gone our separate ways. I went to college and became a Pharmacist in Jojaco's medicinal laboratories. I hated it. Hated it so much that I decided it was time to read the letter from my grandfather. It was the best choice I ever made for many reasons, but the best being I met the wonderful girl in front of me.

  
"Then wh-why are yeh cryin', Penny? I-if yer not sad..." I whine and rest my forehead on her to look in her eyes, still scared she is upset and just will not tell me. "Penny?..."

  
She takes a deep breath and stares right back into my eyes as she says words I swear I must have misheard.  
"I l-love you, too."

  
The copper haired woman giggles at my shock and in a burst of courage, pecks my lips sweetly. Without thinking, I pull her back into a kiss and we both part our lips for this one.

  
"...M' god... Penny..." I sigh when we part.

  
She giggles before attempting a joke. "B-better than any city girl?"

  
I look at her as I smile shyly. “...I-I wouldn' know..."

  
We stare at each other as we realize we just shared not only our first kiss, but both our first kisses. It seems to have gotten quieter in the plaza and I glance at the time to see it is getting late and people are heading home about now.

  
"...I-I know et's like right over there, b-but... would yeh like m-meh teh walk yeh h-home?" I ask nervously as I stand and offer my hand to Penny to help her stand as well. "I mean yeh don' got-teh...."

  
"I would love that, Shadow." She tells me and kisses my cheek when she stands, up on the balls of her feet a little to reach.

  
I blush hotly at this and let go of her hand to bend my elbow which she grabs onto happily.

  
"M-might I say... uhh.. yeh look lovely this evenin', Penny..." I try to act all gentlewomanly.

  
"I wear this all the time, Shadow." My girlfriend gives me a small playful shove causing us to stop near Lewis' house.

  
"Th-then take et as I always think yeh look lovely..."

  
Now she blushes and buries her face in my dark grey hoodie's sleeve. "You can be such a flirt..." Penny sighs and looks up at me as we begin walking again. "And before you say it again, I know you are just trying to be a 'gentlewoman'..."

  
I grin at her before movement in the bushes catches my eye. I push Penny behind me and glare at the bush.

  
"Come out!" I growl and a larger than average black wolf emerges and regards me closely before looking at Penny who is peeking around my side.

  
"Shadow." She says worriedly as she catches the beast's eyes on her.

  
I growl out a warning at the wolf that I can smell is a werewolf. Not anyone I know though. It just snarls at me and lunges. I shove Penny, perhaps a little too roughly, out of the way and transform into my silver wolf, not caring that my clothes and glasses are now ruined yet again.

  
"Go now before I rip yeh teh shreds!" I ground out with my now morphed vocal cords.

  
"A woman lycan with a mortal woman mate?" The other wolf, obviously a male now by the voice, taunts. "How pathetic.”

  
Now I charge at him and he simply bolts away leaving me to chase.

  
"SHADOW!" I hear Penny yell and the movement of her scrambling after me and I wish there was a way I could stop her, tell her to go home, tell her to get to safety.

  
"Still following, runt!?" My current prey continues taunting even as I start closing the distance, ready to nip his leg. "Oooo! We got a tough one!"

  
"SHUT UP ALREADY!!" I yell and manage to knock him over by ramming his side with all my weight and momentum. "WHO DO YEH THINK YEH ARE?!"

  
"Name's Clyde. And this is my town. I was fine with you settling on that little farm, but now you are trying to take my mate!"

  
"PENNY ISN'T YERS!” I rage.

  
"Not now. She will be!" He says, seeming so sure of it.

  
He has obviously not been doing well surviving in the woods as his scrawny wolf frame is easy to pin down with my teeth around his throat.

  
"Penny is not yers! Penny belongs teh no one!!" I tell him and I hear his breathy wolf laugh as leaves crunch in front of me.

  
I take a chance to look up to see Penny and a couple of the townsmen with rifles. In the second I am distracted, Clyde gives his most wholehearted struggle yet and throws me off him, reversing our positions.

  
"ANY LAST WORDS, RUNT?!" He snarls and I feel the froth of rabies where his lips meet my skin and fur, getting into my body through the punctures his teeth make.

  
I have little time to think about the possible infection as my friends raise their guns and train them on the beast on me.

  
"SHADOW!" My dad's beastvoice roars through the woods before his massive dark-brown-almost-black wolf bounds out of the foliage to attack Clyde.

  
They wrestle and leaves flies up around them from the tussle making the townsfolk unable to get a proper aim. I try to get up to help, but the mutt must have punctured my esophagus making breathing difficult. I fall over when my right front paw gives out, probably injured when he fought for control.

  
"...Dad..." I whimper as my sight gets blurry, barely able to make out any of the copper and pale skinned face in front of mine. "Penny?..."

  
"Get away from it, Penny!" I hear Lewis calling to her, but it sounds like I am swimming and Penny does not leave me.  
"Shadow, hang in there! Please!" I hear her pleading.

  
"I... I-I'll try... Et...Et hurts, Penny..." I whimper and shift a tiny bit to see my father finishing off Clyde. "Dad!” I try to call to him as he drops the dead animal at Lewis' feet and rushes to me, nudging my muzzle with his.

  
"My little girl." He whines, unsure and scared. "Y-you are going to be fine."

  
"Mr. Bear?" Penny asks and they look at each other as my father cocks his head to the side, trying to convey that it is him.

  
It seems to be enough for Penny and she turns to our friends. "I don't have time to explain, but this is Shadow!" She yells and my senses are fading. "She needs help! Please just trust me!"

  
Linus shoves his way past everyone and kneels by Penny and my father. "I have seen her... We have talked." He tells the townsfolk, combing through the fur on my neck to assess the damage. "Penny tells the truth. This wolf is Shadow and she needs medical care."

  
Demetrius and Marnie rush up and I feel and hear them more than see as I just want to close my eyes and rest.

  
"Pen...ny..." I whine and look at my girlfriend. "Et... hurts... can'... h-hold... on..."

  
She must see the pain in my eyes as she strokes my cheek gently.

  
"Can't we take her to the ranch?" She pleads.

  
"Penny..." I whimper when they shift me and I cannot take it anymore. "...S-sorree..."

 

(Later, Penny)

  
It has been a day now since we got Shadow to Marnie's coop. She moved her chickens into the barn so Shadow and Bear's appearances would not scare them.

  
"Still out, kid?" Bear says as he walks in from talking to Mayor Lewis.

  
I nod and return to resting my head on Shadow's warm furred chest, careful of her bandaged injuries and listening to her heart beat. It has been the only thing reassuring me that she is still alive. Bear sets his hand on my back and rubs gently.

  
"I l-love her..." I mumble and he smiles sadly.

  
"I'm glad." He tells me. "...I'm not going to promise that this kind of thing will never happen again... Our wolves compel us to protect... to defend those we love..." I look at him and he continues with a chuckle. “She really loves you. Most of her letters mentioned you in some way or another."

  
"Really?"

  
"Yes, now I will leave you with her."

  
"You are not going to stay?"

  
He shakes his head. "I trust you to be here with her... I am not leaving town. I just need to get checked on again. Runt bit me a couple times... You heard he had rabies. Demetrius, Marnie, and Harvey want to make sure I'm still in the clear. Make sure she does not try to change forms if she wakes up before I get back. Would undo the stitching and bandages."

  
He walks out before I can say anything and I am alone to watch over my girlfriend.

  
"...Penny...?" I think I hear a gruffer version of Shadow's voice saying my name as the wolf moves slightly.

  
"Shadow! I'm here." I tell her and sit so she can see me whenever she manages to open her eyes.

  
"Yeh... c-can hear meh?..."

  
I lay down in the hay and straw so I am still in front of her face, but far enough back that it would not startle her. "Yes..."

  
She sniffs and pale green eyes open slowly to look at me. “Th-then I am sorree..." She says as her tongue extends out to lick what she can reach of my exposed cheek.

  
It is a little bit disgusting, but I ignore it. “Why?"

  
"...Y-yeh had teh... see meh l-lose control..."

  
"It attacked us." I tell her and she is quiet still. "You saved me from it."

  
"He..."

  
"What?”

  
"'is name was Clyde... He claimed you were 'is..."

  
"His?"

  
"'is... mate... Yer not a-an'one's... M’ wolf mightah claimed yeh, but y-yer not... not m-mine...”

  
"You're wrong." I tell her and she stiffens underneath the hand I have been using to stroke her ears. "I am yours."


	3. Tutoring

Tutoring

  
"Auntie Shadow?" Vincent asks to get my attention from my chicken Delta, who I am holding while he and Jas pet it. "Where is Aunt Penny?"

  
I smile at him. “...She's not feelin' well teh-day." I answer glancing to the house where I can make out my wife sitting on her favorite chair in our little library, looking at us through the window.

  
Her hair is all ruffled and you can tell she is sick and miserable and trying to distract herself by reading. We happen to meet eyes and she manages a weak smile that I return.

  
"Is she okay, Miss Shadow?" Jas asks, looking to the farmhouse too.

  
"...'ey, I told yeh guys that yeh can call meh Shadow." I tell them as I set the hen down. "Now, can yeh help meh put these seeds in the soil we tilled earlier?"

They both eagerly reach for the seed packs. "Make sure teh stay with ten fer each row! Don' spill 'em an' onl' plant where I tell yeh an' NOT on the wooden walkways!" They nod excitedly. "Okay! Jas, yeh get the poppies... Miss Penny's favorite flower, put these in the upper fields by the house... Vince... yeh get some corn... put them in the other half of the upper fields. I will be workin' in the lower fields, just past the coop if yeh need meh..." I hand them their seeds and turn to look down at my chicken. "C'mon, back teh the coop fer yeh, Delta..."

  
My farm is mainly crops with a coop separating the large field to the right of my pond in half, thus the 'upper' and 'lower' fields. My barn is on the other side of the pond. The fields are meticulously planned out to be rows of 1x10 separated by wooden paths to keep things orderly and scarecrows placed to cover as much area as they can. Penny once asked why it is that way and I told her it just bothers me if it is not clean cut and easy to walk through. I then proceeded to tell her that it may be a little bit of OCD, but at least it isn't bad or anything.

  
"Auntie!" I hear Vincent shout and rush to him to find Jas on the ground crying as her knee bleeds, seeds scattered all over. "She tripped on one of the planks and scrapped her knee on that rock."

  
I kneel down next to the sniffling girl and she looks up at me a little scared.

  
"I-I'm sorry, Shadow." She says and it confuses me. "I-I spilled the seeds!"

  
"Jas, et's fine..." I shift so i can pick her up with an arm under her knees and the other around her back. "I'm going teh pick yeh up an' take yeh inside so we can clean up that battle wound... What'd yeh think ah that?..."

  
She sniffles and nods, letting me know she is good for me to pick her up. Penny quickly opens the door with a blanket over her shivering shoulders, having seen me walking up with the girl in my arms.

  
"Babe, go back teh bed... I got this..." I say and she looks about to argue, so I stop her. "Yer sick, yeh need rest, an' Jas has an open wound that could easily get 'er infected if yeh sneeze or somethin'..."

  
Penny relents, seeing the truth and I kiss her clammy forehead before moving Jas to the bathroom and set the child on the toilet's closed lid to sit while I get the first aid kit out.

  
"This is gunn-ah sting ah bit, not gunn-ah lie.."I warn before carefully using a sanitizing wipe on the skinned knee that honestly isn't bleeding all that bad, but probably still hurt horribly. "Good job, Jas." I praise the tough girl and she smiles at me as I pull out some antibacterial ointment. "This'll help et heal an' keep nasty bacteria out." I tell her and apply some.

  
"That feels weird!" Jas giggles and chooses a cute paw print designed bandage from the ones I show her.

  
"There!" I exclaim dramatically as I finish putting the bandage on. "All better!"

  
Jas giggles at my antics and tackles me. I catch her and make sure we do not fall backwards onto the hard tile.

  
"RAWR!" I growl playfully and sling the girl over my shoulder as I stand so I carry her like a sack of potatoes, something my father did often when I was younger and he caught me daydreaming or something. "We have seeds that need teh be planted!!"

  
Vincent laughs so hard he has to sit down on the floor for a bit as I stomp by to the door like bigfoot. My wife, who did NOT go back to bed as I told her too, hides her laughter behind a hand and leans against the doorway to our bedroom.

  
"Ahhhh!" Jas squeals as I jostle her slightly and exit the farmhouse.  
Once we are clear of the view of the windows, I set Jas down and whisper in her ear.

  
"Wann-ah hide from Vince?" She nods. "...Okay... C'mon... quietly..."

  
We tipetoe to kneel behind to shipping crate and are barely in position when Vincent runs out, having recovered enough to chase after us.

  
"Guys?" He calls out. "Where'd you go?"  
The two of us stifle our giggles and peek over the top of the box to see him searching high and low.

  
"Scare him when he comes to look over here?" Jas suggests and I grin mischievously at her as I nod in agreement.

  
"Where did they g-AHHHH!" Vincent is cut off by himself almost screaming in shock when we jump out from behind the crate. "NOT FUNNY!"

  
"Ok... ok... okay... S-sorree Vince..." I try to get out and stop laughing. "Et was Jas' idea... Anyway! We should finish the seeds!" I hurry to change the subject as Vincent glares at Jas.

 

(Later)

  
"You are great with kids..." my wife mumbles, her stuffy nose making her voice all messed up.

  
"Th-they all jus' like meh..." I tell her and feel her forehead for a rough estimate on her temperature, not wanting to dig out the thermometer unless I have to. "I think yer fever broke..."

  
"Yeah, I feel a little better. Still not sure how I got a cold in summer..."

  
"Yeh can get sick any time of year, Penny..." I tell her and she pouts a little. "Yeh'll be better soon, I promise."

  
I move away to get ready for bed and slide into bed, pulling Penny to me so I spoon her.

  
"Shadow, no! I'm all gross!" She whines, but does not fight.

  
"...Don' care..." I mumble. "I love yeh... an'..." my hand slides over the swell in my wife's abdomen. "I-I love yeh two... I can' wait teh meet yeh..."

  
"Me, too." Penny sighs contently and rests her hand over mine, intertwining our fingers as they splay out over her baby bump. "I-I still can't believe we're having twins, Shadow..." I nuzzle her sweaty neck and kiss her cheek lovingly. "I'm glad I met you... I love you so much..." She turns her whole head to kiss my lips chastely.

  
"Yeh a-are the best thin' in m' life, Penny... I tell her and we lay there just enjoying each other, eventually drifting off to dreamland.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tok a small piece of my Skyrim alternate universe I made a while back. Basically (not gonna explain all of it) there is a way for two women werewolves to cconcieve and bear their own children without science of any kind or ahem 'outside sources'. Anyway! Have a good day!


	4. Gifts for the Feast of the Winter's Star

Gifts for the Feast of the Winter's Star  
(A couple days to festival)  
Since Penny is out in town today looking for a gift for her friend, I take the time to finish mine. I still find it hilarious (or maybe Mayor Lewis having fun) that I got my wife as my 'secret friend'. We got married less than a year ago. Our wedding falling on Spring 26th, two days before my 27th birthday. Anyway, Penny has been a bit peeved that I will not tell her who I got. Though when I question her who SHE got, she refuses to tell me.  
"Shadow, I'm home!" I hear her call from the doorway and the rustling of her wiping the snow off her boots.  
I barely managed to store the unfinished dried poppy tiara I am making her as part of the gift into the lock chest that only I have the key, too.  
"...'E-ey, babe..." I stumble over my words. "...Yeh f-find sumthin' good?"  
"Are you okay?" She asks and studies my face.  
"...Y-yeah... jus' workin' on m' gift..." I try to calm down.  
"Oh, can I see it?" Her eyes light up.  
"N-NO!" I unintentionally yell at her before I can correct myself. "S-sorree, didn' mean teh shout, Penny..."  
"It's okay, honey." My wife tells me and moves to hug me. "I shouldn't have asked about it. It is supposed to be a secret after all. But, I have to know... Why are you keeping it so..." She gestures one hand behind my back at the locked trunk. "in there."  
I nuzzle into her neck and sigh.  
"Yeh'll see at the festival... Until then... et stays in there..."  
"Okay."  
"Okay?"  
"What?" She moves to look into my eyes from the corner of her eye with us still close.  
"I dunno... I know yeh don' like thin's yeh don' know the answer teh..." I mumble and kiss her cheek. "Et's gettin' late... ready teh go teh bed...?"  
"Mhmmmm..." Is her hummed response as she shifts even more into my embrace.

(Night of the festival, in the farmhouse)  
"Shadow, can you come help with this zipper?" Penny calls from our room as I try to make the bow on the now completed and wrapped gift.  
"...One second, babe!" I call back and growl at the ribbon. "It has teh be perfect..."  
"Have you even gotten ready yet?"  
I look down at my dress shirt and sweatpants I threw on while the steam from Penny's shower helped release the slight wrinkles in my slacks a little. My tie is hanging around my neck, untied, and my overcoat is on a nearby chair. With one last attempt to fix the lopsided bow, I give up and stand to finish getting ready. When I walk into the bedroom, I am blown away. Penny stands there in a simple, but gorgeous dress.  
"W-wow..." I mumble and she sees me.  
"Shadow, please don't stare. Can you zip the zipper please?"  
"Sorree, y-yeh look beautiful, Penny." I tell her and move to be behind her, easily doing the offending closure.  
"Th-thank you, honey." She mumbles, blushing, before she realizes I am still only half dressed. "Shadow! Mom is expecting us to meet her at our table in 20 minutes!"  
I give with a laugh as she tries to shove me towards my clothes.

(Later)  
"It's time to exchange gifts!" Lewis calls and I hold the wrapped package in my hands nervously.  
Penny eyes me as I stand, obviously wanting to find out who I was making such a secretive gift for. Her jaw drops when I simply walk to kneel on the other side of her, free of the chairs.  
"Penny, uh, 'ere..." I mumble shyly and hand her the gift. "I-I love yeh..."  
She giggles and takes the gift, setting it on the table. Then her pale hand rests on my shoulder.  
"I love you, too. Now, come sit back down, Shadow. You're getting snow on your pants."  
I kiss her lightly on my way to stand before returning to my seat across from an amused Pam.  
"Yeh gunn-ah open et, babe?..." I ask when Penny just stares at me with a loving grin.  
Her gasp in surprise is priceless. She sets the poppy tiara on the table as she pulls out the photo album I made and bound together myself and the couple books I know she's mentioned she wants.  
"Oh, honey..." She says, tears in her eyes as she opens the album to see pictures of us and my landscape shots of nature and some Haley took to help me out when I was too busy. "This is... beautiful..."  
I pick up the tiara and place it on her head carefully, getting her to turn to me.  
"...N-not as beaut'ful a-as yeh, Penny..." I manage to stammer out before a bright light blinds me.  
"You two are adorable!!" Haley squeals as she, Abigail, and Maru watch us over Pam's shoulder.  
I hide my face in my wife's shoulder as Penny covers her red face with her hands.  
"Penny, who'd you get?" Pam asks, trying to spare us the embarrassment.  
"OH!" My mate gasps and shrugs her shoulder a little so I pull back to look at her holding out her gift to me. "I got you, honey."  
I look at her, shocked before the hilarity of the situation dawns on me and I laugh.  
"W-w-wait... we got each other...?" I struggle to ask, out of breath from laughing.  
Everyone looks to Mayor Lewis and he just stands rigidly, pointing at Marnie.  
"She pulls names, I just send the letters." He defends himself and Marnie stares at him, shocked he would rat her out.  
"Well, you gonna open your gift?!" Robyn yells from her table, trying to move things along.  
I take the box from Penny and examine it.  
"...Yeh are sooo much better at wrappin' then meh..." I tell my wife, drawing out the suspense and a couple people (Abigail, Sebastian, and Vincent, I think) throw balled up wrapping paper at me. "Okay, okay!"  
I undo the first piece of tape still intentionally slow and Jodi bops me on the head from behind.  
I laugh and finally tear into the paper earnestly, freezing to stare at the envelope on top of everything else Penny got into the now opened box.  
"G-go on." Penny stutters. "Open it."  
There is what looks like medical documents inside and I can only somewhat understand them as pharmacy jargon is a little similar. What catches my eye is what appears to be handwritten in Harvey's handwriting at the bottom.  
"...Pregnant?" I fail to comprehend and turn to Penny. "Whu...?" She guides my hand to her abdomen as the crowd watches silently and it clicks for me. "Y-yer... Imm-ah be ah parent?!" She nods with a wide grin.  
People tell me I fainted here for a couple minutes, scaring everyone, but I don't remember anything. Makes sense though, I did lose consciousness...  
"Shadow!" Penny yelling is what I do remember as I get off the ground, Harvey helping me as he was checking my vitals. "Are you okay!?"  
I look at her and smile weakly.  
"Y-yeah, jus'... woah..." I tell her as Harvey guides me back into my seat.  
Everyone, even Pam who didn't really seem pleased that I married her daughter, is smiling and congratulating us.  
"What else is in the box?" Jas asks as she and Vincent peek into the box at the remaining items.  
There is two video game boxes and a couple hoodies of varying shades of grey and a t-shirt.  
The t-shirt has text on it: "If lost return to Penny".  
I laugh at it as does everyone standing behind me.  
"You do have a poor sense of direction." Alex points out and I glare at him halfheartedly.  
"...Do NOT!..." I grumble defiantly and Penny squeezes my hand that she now holds.  
"You actually do, Shadow." She mumbles, avoiding my disbelieving look.  
"Yeh get turned 'round in town ah couple times!!"  
"More than a couple, kid." Pam tells me, not too nervous or in love like my wife to correct me.  
"...Awhh... Shut yer piehole..." I grumble as everyone exchanges their gifts and I watch with my arms folded in silent protest.  
Penny giggles and I glance at her with an eyebrow raised.  
"You may be the tougher of us, honey, but you still have moments when you are really adorable." She explains herself, both of us turning completely to each other as Pam wanders off for alcohol most likely.  
"Well... Yeh are always ador'ble, Penny... no wait... s-scratch that... yeh sumhow walk ah fine line between ador'ble an' super sexy..." Her face gets more red than her hair and I offer her my hand. "....W-would yeh d-dance wit' meh, babe..."  
She is silent as she takes my hand.


	5. Family Haircut Day

Family Haircut Day  
(Penny)  
“B-babe, yeh sure yeh wanna cut yer hair?... I-I kinda like et the way et is...” Shadow mumbles and I kiss her cheek.  
“It is too long to put up in my old style, Shadow.” I tell her. “It gets in the way.”  
I recently finished trimming her hair back into the semi-short cut it was when she moved here 8 years ago. My own hair has gotten long since the last time we trimmed up. I find it really annoying, however my wife seems to love it like this.  
“Compromise?” She asks hesitantly. “Ah little longer than usual?”  
Her eyes beg me to relent and I cannot ever deny her.  
“Okay.” I give in and she happily stands behind me with the shears. “Only an inch or two longer at most, Shadow.”  
I hear the blades cutting my hair and it hits my shoulders as it falls, occasionally getting caught on the towel Shadow laid around my neck until my mate brushes it away with her hand.  
“Annn’....”A snip. “There!”  
She holds a small mirror to me and I look at myself. Maybe she was right after all, even just the little extra makes my hair look better than usual.  
“I love yeh, babe...” She whispers near my ear and kisses the back of the outer shell of my ear.  
I shiver and before I can regain my composure a small body climbs into my lap.  
“Mum-ah! My turn?!” Apollo, my son, asks as he plays with the uneven ends of his long-for-a-boy copper hair.  
“Et is, bud!” Shadow tells him and leans down to be level with him as he rests in my lap. “Mum-ah’s gunnah hold yeh, so don’ squirm teh much.”  
Apollo nods frantically and turns in my arms so Shadow can easily reach most of his locks without reaching over me. As soon as he is done, Artemis takes his place.  
“Mmmm...” My wife hums as she uses plastic toy scissors on our youngest pup, a little 2 year old girl named Madison.  
Madison does not have much in the way of hair. Harvey assures she will start growing it in earnest soon and that there are some children that are indeed born bald and don’t start growing hair until around 2 or 3. Not having enough hair does not stop little Madison from feeling left out on haircut day, so Shadow uses the blunted plastic scissors to include her, pretending to cut our daughters thin fuzzy baby-hair.  
“Aw, Madison is such ah cutie pie!” Shadow exclaims setting down the ‘clippers’ in favor of taking our daughter from my lap and holding her close.  
All our pups have a special connection to Shadow and I, however I think Shadow is their favorite. It does not anger me, as Shadow is my favorite person.  
“I wanna hold ‘er, mum!” Artemis, the very helpful big sister reaches for her youngest sibling. “She can come look for skipping stones with me and Apollo!”  
“‘Apollo and I’.” I correct, looking to my love. “Why don’t you let Apollo and Artemis watch her? They know what to do if something happens.”  
Madison now grunts as she squirms in Shadow’s arms and reaches for her older sister.  
“Ar-misss!” She squeals happily when she is handed over. “Hwi!”  
Shadow watches as Artemis walks away with Madison as I start cleaning up and putting things away.  
“Honey, could I get a hand?” I ask to get her attention and she turns to take the kitchen chair from me, easily carrying it to the house while I follow with the spray bottle, comb, and other supplies.  
“Hey, what’re you thinking about?” I ask as I hug her side while she looks out the window at our children, she wraps her arm around me.  
“Mmmm... Jus’... Jus’ how I-I promised I would do m’ best...” She mumbles, eyes following Apollo and Alpha the old farmdog as they jump into the pond in the middle of the farm.  
Artemis and an excited Madison watch, cheering them on as their brother and beloved canine buddy start an impromptu swimming race.  
“You are the best.” I tell her and finally she looks to me. “Don’t look at me like that. It’s true. You are the best.”  
She blushes and kisses me before we both watch our pups.  
“Madison is really getting vocal.” I notice of the usually reserved and quiet toddler who is squirming in her sisters lap and looks like she is yelling her head off. “Artemis is such a great big sister.”  
“Yeah...” Shadow sighs and holds me closer. “...C’mon, we should get dinner started. Et’s pierogi night!”  
“You and your pierogis...” I laugh at her as she pushes me lightly away to almost skip to the kitchen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments are always welcome! If you have an idea/situation that I may be able to turn into a oneshot for this adorable pair and family, just comment or pm me.


	6. Anime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shadow gets Penny to watch one of her favorite series with her one night and they end up almost pulling an all-nighter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is sooo short I almost wanna apologize... BUT I WON’T! I just rewatched all of RWBY from Rooster Teeth and thought of this little scene for my fave geeky couple of Stardew Valley. May add one where they get all the geeks/dorks in town (Abigail, Sam, Sebastian, and maybe even Maru and Emily) to watch this or other anime with them at some point. Not sure. If you’d like that, drop a comment. ANWAY! Bye for now!

Anime  
(Penny)  
“I... don’t get this...” I mumble and try to snuggle more into my suddenly squirmy wife. “Why can’t you sit still anymore?”  
“Huh?” Shadow says and pauses the episode of the anime from Rooster Teeth she has been trying to get me into.  
I have to admit, it is really adorable to see the big, tough farmer countrygirl Shadow get so excited like a little kid. However, so much has happened so fast in the show that I cannot sort it out. It started out all innocent and cute, but then just as my love warned, it got real dark, real fast.  
“So the girl with my name that was a robot is gone now? And Pyrrha was hallucinating like Yang and Coco did?” I ask as she turns to hug me closer under our mound of blankets with our dog Alpha and his puppy, Bravo, on top, asleep. “Because that Emerald girl used her Semblance, right?”  
“...yeah.” The silver haired woman sighs and kisses my cheek. “See... yer gettin’ et.”  
“Her swords were attached by strings? Thats what cut into her?”  
Shadow nods instead of answering, yawning as she does so.  
“Shouldn’t we get some sleep, honey.” I tell her more than ask and she shakes her head as she stifles another yawn.

(After volume 4)  
“Wow...” Is all I can say as Shadow shuts off the tv and sets the remote and her controller aside. “When does the next season -volume?- come out?”  
“Less than ah week...” My wife says with a small smile as we resettle to go to sleep. “...Maybe we should get...” A yawn. “...s-some sleep, babe...”  
“You are the one who wanted me to watch that with you, Shadow.” I point out, but let her pull me closer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> http://www.roosterteeth.com/show/rwby
> 
> ^ Address for the RWBY page on Rooster Teeth’s website
> 
> (YOU CAN ALSO SEARCH ‘RWBY’ OR ‘ROOSTER TEETH’ ON YOUTUBE!)


	7. Hidden History

Hidden History

(Penny)

“...Yeh f-found that, huh?...” Shadow mumbles behind me and I turn from the box full of her awards and pictures and basically her glory to see my wife twiddling her thumbs in the hem of the old light grey graphic tee she wore under her hoodie today and over all looking nervous and shy. “...I-I mean... I guess, uh... yeh wouldah found e-et ‘ventually...”  
“Shadow?” I ask as I stand, turning to face her. “Did... did you not want me to find this box?”  
She sighs and lowers her head, semi-short silvery hair falling in front of her face.  
“...N-not reall’...”  
I hug her carefully, watching her expression.  
“Can I ask why not?”  
Her body freezes up, which I feel in her muscles and I fear I have overstepped some invisible bound.  
“...Yeh... Yeh wannah know?” Is the return question in a tiny voice.  
“Only if you want to tell me, Shadow.”  
I am lead to our couch where my wife has me sit before she drags the box over, getting something wrapped in bubble wrap out as well as an envelope and setting them in my lap.  
“What’s this?” I pull out a couple official looking documents from the envelope as Shadow unwraps the bundle. “Is that your diploma? And this is your transcript and... official test scores... from... wow, honey, these are amazing scores!”  
She nods, running a thumb absently over the inlaid silvery font of her high school’s name on the front of the diploma’s black holder.  
“Xeria Rural Agricultural High School.” I read. “Why does it have such a long name?”  
She snorts at this, pushing her glasses up a bit more. “...M’ class was... the last one befer they shortened the name... Now et’s Xeria High School in the Xeria School District...”  
Obviously not wanting to say much more, she takes the papers from me and puts them on our coffee table. An old album and a few framed pictures are next out of the box.  
“Aww, you were such a cute kid...” I tell my wife as she shows me the first pages of the album, displaying her old grade school school portraits and some baby pictures. “You got glasses pretty young.” I notice even the pictures looking around when she was in the 2nd grade, she had a pair of spectacles on her face along with her cheeky grin that looked more and more forced with each picture.  
In her middle school and high school portraits, the grin barely can be considered a smile as her teeth are no longer showing and she appears almost afraid of something. After that are pictures of college and university, but they are far fewer. There is one with a woman that I think may be her mother and her father I can easily tell as I have met him with her as she wears a white lab coat and is pointing to her name embroidered on it happily. They are in front of a big building, next to a sign that says ‘Jojaco: Medicinal Laboratories’.  
I reach out for my wife’s arm and squeeze gently as she avoids my eyes, fiddling with a stack of old newspapers.  
‘Jojaco Disaster’ one’s big headline says. ‘Medicinal Lab Closed Temporarily after Chemical Leak’ another reads. I can barely see the rest of it, my eyes finding Shadow’s name in the words and scanning around it. It does not look good.  
“‘...Facility directors believe it to be the result of neglect to follow proper procedure by newest member...’” I read and scoot closer to Shadow as she hands me the one I am reading. “‘...Sources say Dr. Stryder has only been with Jojaco for 2 years now. ‘She was fresh out of school when Dr. Winston hired her’ fellow researcher Dr. Holland tells us, ‘Quickly became his protege. It may have gone to her h-...”  
“Stop...” My wife’s voice basically pleads me and I look up to see her taking off her glasses to wipe at her eyes. “I-I... P’eas st-stop readin’...”  
“Shadow!” I gasp, letting the newspaper slide off my lap to the floor in favor of embracing her.  
“E-et was him!” She sobs into my shirt. “He fuckin’ framed m-meh!... I-I was at l-lunch an’ he messed wit’ m’ storage! I CAN’ EVEN F-FIGURE HOW TH-THAT RAT GOT M’ LOCK COM’!!”  
“Shhh, honey... I’m right here... y-you don’t need to yell...” I try to soothe.  
“He was pissed an’ jealous that Dr. Winston paid more attention teh meh an’ m’ work then ‘is!” She cries, lowering her volume slightly. “So h-he framed meh! O-onl’ reason I didn’ face ch-charges was ‘cauze Jojaco wanted teh c-cover et up... J-jus’ fired meh a-an’ made et n-near ‘mpossible teh find another j-job...”  
“Shhhh... Let it out, Shadow...” I rub circles on her back and kiss her ear as I am unable to reach her cheek or any of her face. “...Lets go to bed...”  
It is the only thing I can think of suggesting in this situation, feeling my own eyes watering as I hear my mate cry and feel her pain through our bond.  
“......Y-yeah... okay...”  
After I help her into her pjs, we lay in bed in almost a reverse of how we usually lay, my head on her chest or her spooning me. I hold her as she lays her head over my heart, hearing the beat and letting it remind her of where she is and that I am here for her. Eventually her breathing evens out and I am left to ponder what Shadow has shared with me and what else could be in the box, hidden from the world. Blocked, purposely, from even my love’s memory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If it is not obvious, the names and Shadow’s school are made up. Thought Xeria sounded cool and, well, it stuck.
> 
> ALSO: I know it kinda does not fit with how Shadow ‘mentioned’ in an earlier chapter the circumstances leading up to her opening her grandfather’s letter... She doesn’t like to think about it, so she just lets herself run with the idea that she just got sick of the city and the labs and needed a change of pace.


	8. Vincent’s “Secret Plan”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This literally just happened to me in my game earlier and I laughed my butt off and my friend who I was chatting with in an Xbox Live party was so confused until I explained to him and then he was laughing, too. I was dropping off an new artifact to Gunther at the Library when I noticed my character’s wife (Penny) was almost finished with tutoring that day. I decided to walk out with them so I could talk to Jas and Vincen. Then Vincent asked if Shadow, my character, could keep a secret... The rest is a little made up, but Vince’s ‘secret’ is the same...

(Shadow)  
“Can you keep a secret Aunt Shadow?” Vincent asks me as I walk with him, Penny, and Jas out of the library.  
I was really dropping off a new artifact I found when I noticed that about a half hour from then, Penny would be walking the kids home after tutoring, so I went to sit by her and read a book on the history of the valley that I checked out.  
“... Bud, I can keep ah secret. Whut’s up?...” I notice that as I drink from my water bottle, he seems to be leaning even farther from my wife and Jas when we are already out of earshot, but I take it as he thinks Penny might tell on him for whatever it is.  
He glances around me before waving a hand so I lean down the little bit so he can whisper in my ear.  
“I want to marry Auntie Penny when I grow up.”  
My breath catches in my throat at this and as I was drinking water, I am sent into a small coughing fit.  
“Shadow!” I hear Penny yell as she rushes over with Jas in tow and Vincent looks scared and confused over what is happening.  
I hold up a finger to my mate and finish my fit before righting myself, taking off my glasses to wipe the tears in my eyes.  
“Owww...” I grumble and deal with the now soreness of my throat from coughing. “Um, well, that happened...”  
“Are you okay?!” Penny is still worried.  
“I’m fine...” I tell her, mouthing a ‘tell you later’ which she seems to catch. “Vince jus’ told meh ah joke, but he, um, he didn’ realize I was drinkin’ some of m’ water...” I glance at Jas and the girl appears to accept that explanation, turning back to what she was doing before.  
Penny, on the other hand, hugs me close as we can get with our twins in slings to keep them close to her and whispers in my ear so the boy cannot hear.  
“You better tell me later, honey.”  
“...Don’ worry, babe...” I mumble back with a chuckle. “I’ll tell yeh teh-night, but... I wann-ah talk teh Vince ‘bout et now...”  
“Okay.”  
She pulls away and pecks my cheek before one of our pups starts fussing so she has to tend to them.  
“Y-you didn’ tell her, r-right?” Vincent mumbles nervously and I turn back to him, kneeling to be next to where he sat down in the grass.  
“...I...” I think of how to approach this carefully. “I did not, bud...” He sighs. “B-but, uh, Vince?...”  
“Yeah?” Brown eyes look into mine and I have to fight to not look away or blush to much or Jas and Penny will get curious again.  
“Welllll....uhhh h-how do I put this...?” I ask no one in particular. “Y-yeh know Penny an’ I are married, r-right Vince?” He nods, remembering how he and Jas had so much fun at the wedding. “Okay... um... M-most of the time... M-married couples stay together for... uh... their whole lives...” He nods, looking a little confused and wanting me to get to the point. “Wh-whut I’m tryin’ teh say is... Penny’s m’ wife... Yeh can’, uh.... marry ‘er, bud...”  
I let it sink in and watch his expression drop.  
“Why not?” He asks.  
“Y-yeh can’ marry ah married woman, Vince.” I explain, somehow not too shakily and I smile shyly at Penny who I see watching us subtly from the corner of her eye as she makes sure Jas is holding Artemis correctly.  
“Oh.” Is all the redhead boy says before seeming to lose himself in thought.  
I slip away to Penny and take Apollo from her to hold my son to me.  
“‘Ey big guy...” I mumble when pale green/grey/silver eyes similar to my own lock onto my face.  
The twins appearance are almost perfect mixes of Penny and I. The eyes may be a bit harder to tell than the fairly obvious hair colors because both my wife and I have green eyes., but we can tell the different shades of green and which of us it came from. Penny with the more traditional emerald green while mine are rather pale, sometimes looking almost grey or silver. Some people, my love included, point out that it is like my eyes have flakes of silver in them. Speaking of emerald eyes, I see Penny looking at me with a smile and I glance at my watch. When I notice that it is getting to be later in the afternoon and we should really be getting the kids home before Jodi and Marnie started freaking out, I show Penny the time.  
“Oh! Thank you, honey!” She tells me before taking Artemis from Jas and getting the kids to follow us.  
Vincent is pretty quiet.

(Later that night, at home)  
I am in bed waiting as Penny is removing her makeup.  
“Still don’ ‘get’ make up, babe...” I grumble, rolling unceremoniously onto my stomach and burying my face into my arm I have resting on my pillow. “Hurry up, I’m tired...”  
I hear her quiet laughter as our pups are asleep before footsteps approach and the bed and covers shift as she gets in.  
“Oh, hush up, you big baby. I’m right here.” She sighs, nuzzling close and I turn to hold her. “I did not know I had 3 babies to take care of. I thought it was 2 babies and a wife.”  
I pout at her slight jabs at my maturity, but just hold her tighter.  
“What did Vincent say earlier?” She asks when I thought she had already fallen asleep.  
“Oh, uhhh...” I chuckle and she pulls back enough to look me in the eyes. “He told meh...”  
“Honey, you can tell me.”  
“He said... hewantstehmarryyehwhenhegrowsup...” I rush through it, but Penny caught what I was trying to say and blushes.  
“Well...” She mumbles, nuzzling my collarbone again. “Hmm... I can see how that caused your coughing...”  
“Mhmmm...” I hum and kiss her hair. “...I explained that he couldn’...”  
She hums sleepily and it is not long before her breathing evens out and I am left to myself the couple minutes before I fall asleep, too.


	9. Swimming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, here’s a little piece I thought of as I could not sleep tonight.

(Shadow)  
“I want teh go swimmin’!” I yell out as I jump off the couch, for once not entertained enough by my video games to sit still.  
I just feel the urge to go swimming. Like I won’t be able to calm down or stop fidgeting until I release this excess energy in the water.  
“Mum, it’s winter!” Apollo yells back and latches onto my leg.  
“I wanna learn to swim.” Artemis answers and we watch as Madison wobbly runs into the room from the nursery, where Penny was changing her diaper.  
“We could go to the spa?” My wife offers and I grin.  
“Wes!”Madison cheers, not even completely sure what we are talking about.  
(Later, Penny)  
Madison and I watch as Shadow starts with the basic doggy paddle with teaching the twins to swim. They eventually are well enough that she feels okay letting them swim free as she does laps across the large section, trying to work off the pent up energy from not doing much this winter. Once she is done, she comes to sit by me.  
“‘Ey babe.”  
“They learned fast.” I mumble and tear my eyes off our pups to look at her.  
“Well... where I’m from, with the big lakes, it was best if yeh knew teh swim in case somethin’ happened... people swept off boats, broke through ice durin’ ice fishin’... Idiots loved teh go out before officials said the ice was thick enough teh be safe...I guess et could be somewhut ahn instinct now......Plus don’ babies ‘swim’ in the womb? Just ah matter-ah relearnin’.”  
“Hmm... I’ve heard of that.” I hum and lean on her.  
“...Thinkin’ of that night, babe?”  
I nuzzle more into her shoulder and shift the sleepy Madison who is sitting in my lap and resting her head against my chest as the waves her siblings cause while we watch them swim rock her almost to sleep.  
“How could I not?” I joke and kiss what I can reach of her neck.  
“We were sooo awkward...” She laughs and leans slightly to kiss my lips. “Love yeh...”

(Shadow)  
“Abby!” We hear Artemis squeal as our friend walks in from the changing room in her waterproof shorts and dark swimtshirt combo.  
“Look at you two go!” The purple haired woman laughs as they swim toward the stairs she uses to get in. “Naturals at this! Your moms must be proud!”  
She smiles at us as she finally sinks into the water and makes her way over.  
“Theres the little one.” Abigail says and holds out her hand for the tired toddler to high-five. “Hi, Madison, Penny, Shadow.”  
“‘Ey Abby.” I smile as Madison refuses her favorite person besides Penny and I a high-five. “She’s sleepy.”  
“I see that.” Abigail says with a laugh and rests next to us on the stairs; looking at my wife and I she asks: “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”  
“No, we were just reminiscing.”  
“Oh? Care to share? I’ve always thought you two were adorable together. I hope I find someone like Shadow, Penny...”  
My wife rests her hand not supporting Madison on Abby’s arm and giggles.  
“You sure about that? You’ve seen her quirks. How it took her a whole year to memorize the map.”  
“I’m right ‘ere... an’ et was onl’ 3/4 that first year...” I grumble and take Madison in my arms. “Yeh know I’m ‘ere right, Maddy-gurl?”  
The pup fusses a bit before she notices it’s just me taking her from her comfy and safe spot to give her another comfy, safe spot in my hold.  
“Shouldn’t we start heading home, honey?” Penny asks and sits closer. “The twins need to go to bed.”  
“Now yeh ack-nowledge I’m ‘ere!” I mock-pout, turning Madison and my body slightly away.  
“Oh, you dork.” My wife sighs and looks to Abby again.”You think you could take them home, Abigail? You know my locker does not lock. The house key is in there.”  
“Need a little grownup time?” Our close friend teases with an exaggerated eyebrow movement.  
I look at Penny confusedly as she simply nods and takes a now asleep Madison from me to hand to Abby.  
“Apollo, Artemis!” She calls and waits for them to swim over. “Abigail is going to take you home while we have some time to ourselves. You need to behave your best.”  
They happily cling to Abby babbling about everything and anything as the exit the spa, leaving the two of us alone.  
“Yer one sneaky woman, babe...” I chuckle as I pull her close. “Et’s ah full moon, teh... Did yeh plan this all out?...”  
“No, honestly, I kind of just thought of that on the spot.” She sighs and leans towards me for a kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, leave any comments of ideas, constructive critiscm! Kudos always welcome, too!


	10. First Impressions

First Impressions

(Shadow)  
“...Introduce yerself he said... I know yer nervous, et’ll be fine he said... D-doesn’ know people scare meh...” I am mumbling to myself and circle a tree near the graveyard in town repeatedly. “M-maybe I can jus’ go hide in m’ house. Say I’m unpackin’. No... I told ‘im I’d introduce m’self... C’mon yeh big wuss, yeh can do et...” I sigh and take a deep breath to stand straighter. “‘ello, m’ name is Shadow.’. N-no, fix the damn accent!... ‘H-hello, my name is Shadow.’. Great, now I sound stupid an’ slow...” I growl to myself as I feel my anger and frustration rising.  
“Um, hello?” A quiet voice that I almost cannot hear speaks up behind me and I flinch, caught off guard. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”  
“...No, e-et’s fine. Jus’ didn’ notice yeh were there...” I muster my courage to turn around, wiping my glasses on the shirt I wear under my black hoodie.  
From what I can see, squinting, a woman with coppery hair stands there.  
“H-how much were yeh l-listenin’?” I ask carefully and avoid eye contact once my glasses are back on.  
“I walked up while you were saying about people scaring you.” She says cautiously, as if she will freak me out. “I usually read under this tree.”  
“O-oh, d-did yeh want meh teh move, miss... uh...”  
“Penny and no, you can stay. I-if you want, that is...”  
“Shadow... I’m ‘ere teh take over m’ grandpa’s farm...” I say and let her sit down in the shade as I move to rest against the tree’s trunk. “Wh-whut yeh readin’?” I ask as the curiosity overrides my fear and I catch glances at the text over her shoulder.  
She shows me the cover and I get confused.  
“...Yer ah teacher?”  
“Not really. More a tutor.”  
“Must love kids, eh?” I joke.  
“I do. What about you?”  
“Most kids gen’rally like meh... I-I...” I look away. “I get ‘long wit’ ‘em better than adults... Much less confusin’...” I end in a whisper, but I think she still caught it.  
“Confusing?”  
Emerald green eyes look at me and I cannot make myself look away again, no matter how scared I am.  
“...I... I was always ‘teh smart’ for ‘em to call et anythin’ other then jus’ ah social disorder an’ social anxiety, but y-yeah... I sometimes m-miss cues an’ complex emotions confuse meh...” I stop my rambling. “D-don’ know why I’m t-tellin’ yeh that... Yeh seem n-nice ‘nough...”  
She blushes at that and smiles kindly before thinking.  
“You’re here to take over the old farm?” She asks and I can tell she is noticing how fidgety I am getting (a sign of my anxiety), and is trying to change the topic.  
“Yes, I-I decided teh leave the city an’ come out ‘ere... Feels good teh breathe clean air again... Teh run free in the woods... abs’lute heaven...”  
“You like the woods?”  
I realize I almost spilled my deepest, darkest secret to this person I just met.  
“Y-yeah, I-I like teh take pictures of n-nature...”  
Penny seems a little suspicious of that half-lie. It was not completely a lie as I do like to photograph nature and landscapes. Footsteps approach and this time I catch them and I can tell it is Evelyn, the old woman is town that I remember visiting grandpa a lot when I was living with him as a young pup learning to control her transformations. Her husband, George, was quite a bit nicer when he could walk and run free as his wolf with Evelyn, grandpa, dad, Alex, and I.  
“‘Ey.” I say and face the older werewolf that was almost a grandma to me while George was like a second grandpa.  
“I heard you were in town again today, pup.” The woman pats my head as I am still shorter than her. “Are you coming over for dinner?”  
Penny watches us, not knowing our history and our shared secret.  
“I-I’ll be over ‘round 7... That okay? Louis wants meh teh introduce m’self.” I tell her and my elder nods, looking to Penny.  
“Hello, Penny. I’m glad you and Shadow seem to get along. I worry about her.”  
“I’m still right ‘ere!” I pout and the two chuckle. “N-not ah little pup...”  
“Pup?” Penny asks.  
“Little kid.” Evelyn explains, giving part of the answer. “I’ll see you later, Shadow.”  
“Bye!” I call after her. “...Sh-she an’ George were good friends wit’ m’ grandpa... They an’ Alex were almost like fam’ly teh meh when I lived with grandpa...”  
“You lived with your grandfather? How did I never meet you? I’ve lived here my whole life.”  
“We mostly stayed in the cabin an’ in the woods... Didn’ come inteh town much... An’ I moved teh be wit’ m’ da when I was ‘bout 9, so... uh, how old are yeh?”  
“22. You don’t look too much older than me.”  
“I’m gonna be 26 soon.”  
“When’s your birthday?” She asks and scoots closer.  
“The 28th of Spring.”  
“Hmmmm...”  
Penny is lost to thought and I notice I should get done with my introductions so I’m not late to dinner with Evelyn and her family.  
“I-I should reall’ do the introductions... Et... Et was nice teh meet yeh, Penny... Hopefully we can talk some more some other time.” I tell her and stand, offering a hand to help her up.  
“Oh, it was nice to meet you, too.” She says and takes my offered hand, letting me help her to her feet.  
“G’bye, I guess...” I tell her and rush away, my nervousness returning.  
“Bye!” She calls after me.

  
The birthday gift of some mixed muffins and a few books on my doorstep a couple weeks later from Penny makes me smile and I make a mental note to make sure I pass her in town today so I can thank her.


	11. Streamer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’ve been bored the past couple of days as I have been sick. I wanted to do some streaming to my own Twitch channel, but I realized since I can barely talk without coughing, it probably would not be the best idea. So, I thought, ‘hey, what if I made Shadow a streamer?’
> 
> This is the result...
> 
> -> “ShadowWolf” is just a name I chose for Shadow. It is not mine and most likely is someone out there’s screenname.

Streamer

(Shadow)  
“‘Ey guys! Et’s meh the ShadowWolf!” I say into my microphone as my Titch stream starts. “I-I know et’s been ah bit, but ‘ey! I’m back! Befer we begin playin’ some Oblivion like the title says, I wannah say some thin’s.”

(Penny)  
Shadow’s door was unlocked and I got a little worried, so I went inside. Everything was quiet in my girlfriend’s house except for some lights spilling out from under the one door that is always closed when I come over.  
“Yeh guys know I moved... W-well... uh...” Shadow is bumbling over her words when I push the door open behind her.  
The smallish room stocked to the brim with high tech equipment and a camera is pointed at Shadow and I can tell its catching me too. Three screens surround my girlfriend. One appears to be monitoring a chat of some sort and another has a video game’s startup screen on it. Shadow is blocking the third from my view.  
‘LOOK BEHIND YOU!’ Comes up on the chat screen from many different people, but Shadow is not even paying attention.  
“I-I really like this place.” Shadow continues, still unaware of my presence. “I’ve met many amazin’ people ‘ere... includin’... Includin’ m’ girlfriend. She’s pretty an’ ver’ smart.”  
I blush at this and decide to move closer.  
“Shadow?” I ask and she jumps out of her seat, ending up tangled in her headset cord on the floor. “Are you ok?!”  
“Y-yeah, I’m fine...” She grumbles embarrassedly as she gets up. “Wh-whut’s up, Penny? I-I don’ mind yeh visitin’, but d-did yeh need somethin’?”  
I can see the chat feed going nuts out of the corner of my eye.  
‘Her gf?!?’ Lots of people are asking.  
Shadow must see this, too as she grins and pulls me to her.  
“Y-yup guys!” She laughs, hugging me. “This is Penny!”  
“Is this what you’ve been up too?” I ask and pick up a vbox controller from the desk and sit on Shadow’s lap.  
“Y-yeah, settin’ all this up an’ makin’ sure et works is ah real pain... ‘ere, could yeh stand ah sec?”  
I stand and she redoes her headphones setup with a audio splitter and hands me a second pair of headphones before pulling me back onto her lap.  
“You want me to stay? I-I was just going to go...” I mumble and she just squeezes me tighter. “Okay, I’ll stay.”

  
(Later)  
“That was the biggest audience I’ve ever gotten!” Shadow happily yells as I cook dinner for us in the kitchen.  
She is editing the recorded stream to go on her ittube channel, but she decided to keep the room’s door open since she knows I am here.  
“Really?” I ask as walk back and hand her a mug of hot chocolate.  
“...Th-they reall’ liked seein’ us play together...” Shadow mumbles and I look at her, curious. “W-w-would, uh... would yeh be willin’ teh join the s-stream more often...?”  
I stop to think on this as my girlfriend stares at me with puppy dog eyes.  
“I might be able to drop by after tutoring...” I say as I think. “Yeah, that could work.”  
Shadow just pulls me back down onto her lap as we sip our hot chocolates and the video renders.  
“W-we’d need teh get yeh yer own chair...”  
“Mmm?” I hum and glance over my shoulder at her.  
“Much as I l-love havin’ yeh close like this... M’ legs were startin’ teh go numb earlier...”  
I just laugh at her and take our mugs to the kitchen were the pasta is almost done boiling.


	12. Holidays (Part One)

Holidays (Part One)

(Penny)  
I’m getting the twins and Madison ready to go out into the snow when Shadow rushes back in.  
“Babe! Penny! Babe!” She’s yelling and I stand up from putting our youngest’s boots on. “Whoa slippi-Ah!”  
“Shadow!” I hurry to help her up and she groans. “Are you okay?”  
“...take off m’ boots next time...” The silver haired woman grumbles and lets me aid her. “‘Ey.”  
“Hello.” I say back and fix her hoodie. “I still don’t understand how you can stand the cold so well...”  
“Et’s almost nice out, babe!” She pouts before remembering something: the piece of mail in her hands. “M’ da wants us all teh come visit fer the holidays!”  
“He does?” I ask and grab the letter from her, reading where she points. “...’I know it is last minute, but I’d really like it if you, your wife, and the pups could come visit, Shadow. It’s been too long and I for one want to see my little grandpups again. Second, all the pups you used to play with in town, the younger ones as well, have been asking when you will be coming by to see them. Word of warning though, they are all grown up now and almost as tall as me.’...”  
We are quiet until Madison starts to fuss a little, which prompts my wife to quickly calm her down.  
“Whut do yeh think, babe?”  
“I wanna see gran’pa!” Artemis shouts and hugs me. “P’eas, mum-ah!”  
“Yeah, I wanna see ‘im, too!” Apollo agrees with his sister and I look at my all but begging wife.  
“W-we can ask if yer mom wants teh go wit’ us...” She offers, knowing if we went my mom would be left to celebrate alone.  
“Okay.”

(A week later)  
“Shadow! It’s so cold!” I say through chattering teeth, hurrying to put my coat on.  
“I warned yeh!” She pouts as she gets Madison out of her carseat in the back of our dark grey SUV.  
“She did.” My mom cuts in with a laugh.  
“Shadow!” A feminine voice yells as a woman and two teen boys run up. “It’s actually yeh!”  
Our daughter is handed to me before she picks up the two teens into a strong hug, lifting the pair off the ground.  
“Aw! Who’s this cutie?” The woman coos as Madison hides her face in my coat. “Shy one?”  
“Yes, she is very shy around new people.” I tell the woman.  
“Oh! M’ bad! Yeh must be Penny.” The woman says and rights herself to look me in the eye. “M’ name is Echo. Shadow used teh watch meh an’ m’...” We turn to see the two boys now in a snowball fight with Shadow and my mom watching on in interest with a still sleepy from the ride Artemis and Apollo. “...younger brothers...... Are those the twins?”  
“Mom.” I call to my mother and wave her over. “Echo, this is my mom. And these are Artemis and Apollo.”  
“‘ello, ma’am.” Echo bows her head slightly like how I’ve seen Shadow do in greeting. “I’ve heard so much about these two...” The twins look up at her, but is obvious that they are still half asleep. “Why don’ we take this inside an’ get the pups inteh bed. Et is pretty late.”  
I nod and she leads us to the door before motioning for us to cover the kids’ ears.  
“Spark! Surge! Get over ‘ere!” She shouts off the porch to the now wrestling trio. “SHADOW! I’m bein’ more mature then yeh right now! AN’ I’m sure yer fam’ly is gettin’ ah bit cold!”  
“I-I’m sorree, Penny...” Shadow mumbles when she gets to us, cheeks red from the cold and exertion, maybe even a little embarrassment.  
“It’s okay, honey.” I tell her and attempt to straighten her hair. “Let’s just get inside so the kids can go to bed.”  
“Is that who I think it is? Or is Echo playing tricks on me again?!” We hear Shadow’s father as he steps out of the living room and into the entryway.  
“‘ey da!” Shadow says happily and hugs him tight before the twins hug his legs.  
“Granpa!” They squeal as Shadow lets go.  
“My little troublemakers!” He exclaims and kneels down as my mom and I take off our outerwear. “And the _little_ little troublemaker!”  
I let him take Madison into his arms.  
“Hello, Bear.” I say and he pats my head.  
“Good to see you, Penny. I hope Shadow hasn’t been too much for yeh to handle.”  
“‘EY!” Shadow pouts. “...I’m right ‘ere...”  
“She’s been just fine.” I chuckle and turn to my mother. “Bear, this is my mom, Pam. Mom, this is Shadow’s dad, Bear.”  
“Nice to meet yeh.” The big man says politely and holds out a hand to my mom which she shakes.  
“Same.” She says back.

(Later)  
“Echo, ‘member that time we thought we lost Spark an’ Surge!” Shadow is joking with her old friend as we sit in the living room.  
The kids are asleep on the bed in the guest room as Shadow and I will be on her old bed and my mom will have the inflatible mattress we brought.  
“Yeah! Yeh got so scared an’ they ended up bein’ under your bed!” Echo, the dark blonde haired woman that I admit, is actually a little pretty.  
“ _I_ wasn’t the _only_ one freakin’ out...” Shadow grumbles before yawning and looking at me as I rest my head against her shoulder. “I’m gettin’ tired... Think yer mom already went teh sleep, babe...”  
“You did do most of the driving, honey.” I point out and stand, pulling her up with me (or I try to).  
“Oh, we can talk more tomorrow, Shadow. Yeh two go teh bed. I’m goin’ teh take m’, uh...” We look to see her brothers out cold and sharing a blanket by the fireplace. “...brothers home.” Echo says simply. “See yeh in the mornin’. We’ll be ‘ere in time teh open presents!”  
“Yeh better be!” Shadow tells her and walks towards our room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, unlike my Fallout 4 story... I plan to actually make another part to this one-shot. I won’t lose my inspiration... Hope you enjoyed and I plan to have the second half of this one up before New Years Eve. Bye!


	13. Holidays (Part Two)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yeah. Got this up before New Years.

Holidays (Part Two)

(Shadow)  
I’m laying in my old bed, just looking up at the ceiling like I used to do so often when I lived here. It is much smaller than the bed at home, but that doesn’t matter. Penny and I had to cuddle the closest we have ever had to to fit. She is still asleep against me. At least I think she is, she sometimes wakes up before me, but just likes to stay close. The bedroom door opens a little and my son’s head appears in the opening. I can see Artemis holding Madison’s little hand as they stand behind him.  
“Mum?” My boy asks, noticing me awake and watching him.  
“C’mere.” I tell them and free one of my arms from around my wife.  
It is a bit awkward (and I’m sure we woke Penny up) as they pile into the already cramped bed.  
“Good morning.” My wife yawns and shifts slightly so she can make sure they don’t fall off.  
“Mornin’...” I say back and squeeze the four of them in a hug. “Is granpa up?”  
“He was drinkin’ coffee in the kitchen.” Artemis tells us. “Told us to get you guys up!”  
“What about grandma?” Penny asks them and they shrug. “You were in the same room as her...”  
“Oh, I’m up.” Pam’s voice says as she pushes the door open far enough for her and my dad to walk in. “Need help there you two?”  
I pretend to ponder this before shaking my head.  
“Mmm nope!” I joke, but then Apollo kicks me in the rib as he squirms excitedly. “Ow! Apollo, that was m’ ribs!”  
“Sorry, mum...” He says sadly as Pam helps Madison and Artemis down.  
He gets down so Penny and I can sit up on the edge of the bed.  
“‘Ey, bud.” I get his attention before he can get too far and pull him into a hug. “I know yer ‘cited, but yeh still need teh be careful... yer ah-lot stronger than most boys yer age, ‘member?”  
“Yes, mum.”  
“Good!” I kiss his forehead and let him go, so I can stand up myself. “Da, is Echo an’ Spark an’ Surge ‘ere yet?”  
Just as I ask this, we hear the front door open.  
“Ooohhh Stryder fam’ly!!!” Echo calls and I can only guess that they are taking off their coats and boots. “Oops! An’ Pam!”  
Penny’s mom chuckles at my friend’s antics as they enter the now pretty crowded room.  
“Still in bed?!” Spark yells as his twin brother jokingly attempts to knock me over back onto the bed like a gridball player.  
I’m ready for him and he doesn’t even force me to brace myself much.

(The living room)  
“We’re opening presents now?” Pam asks as the pups (including Spark and Surge) sit on the floor eagerly waiting for the gifts to be passed out.  
“Yup.” I tell her as I hand Artemis and Apollo each a present. “We celebrate Christmas ‘ere. Close teh the same as whut yer used teh, but ah bit diff’rent.”  
The woman looks about to ask more, but is cut off by Apollo getting excited as he opens the case his gift is in to find a small sword, perfect for his size along with a bow and some (painted) gold and red arrows.  
Artemis finds the same in her present, but the designs on the small weapons are different. More in her favorite colors, like silver and blue. They had watched me practicing archery and my swordplay one afternoon and made it very clear that they wanted to be just like me.  
“You have to listen to your mom extra carefully with those, you two.” Penny tells them and points at me.  
“Yes mum-ah.” The pair say eagerly and I set the cases aside as my dad sets a big box with airholes in the lid between them and sits back on the couch after setting another similar box between Spark and Surge.  
Both sets of twins spend a couple moments just looking at the boxes, trying to think of what could be inside. Spark and his brother are the first to begin opening and they are so cautious when pulling off the lid of the box. The shock on their faces is priceless when the find a little adorable husky puppy inside. The box in front of my pups shifts a little and Artemis and Apollo just stare at each other before hurriedly opening their box.  
“He’s ah cute boy isn’t he?” Echo says and kneels down on the floor with her brothers. “Apollo an’ Artemis have his sister.”  
“Is this what you were planning?” Penny whispers in my ear before I grin and get off the couch to sit with our pups and our new puppy.  
“Whut’dyeh guys think? Whut should we name ‘er?” I ask the twins.  
“Luna!” Artemis yells. “Like the moon! R-right, mum-ah?”  
“I wouldn’t know. Shadow?” Penny turns the question to me.  
I’m holding the little puppy and running a hand over her head as I think.  
“Huh? O-oh! Yeah, Luna... like the moon...” The dog looks at me with slightly mismatched eyes.  
Bright icy blue on the right and a plain light blue on the left. The two different shades make me think her eyes might change color as many huskys’ eyes do as they grow up.  
“Kid?” Pam asks and I look up.  
“Sorree... I like the name...” I mumble, blushing.  
They laugh at my expense until Da decides to help me out. I can already guess what the oddly shaped present in a crudely done wrapping paper is as he sets it in front of me.  
“Yer given meh m’ own softball ‘quipment?” I ask after unwrapping it and seeing my old batbag. “This was mine already an’ yer givin’ et teh meh... again...?   
“Well, I thought now that you are livin’ out in the country, you’ll have more room to play.”  
“You were an athlete?” Pam asks, clearly in disbelief knowing my personality and love of video games.  
“She was the best hitter an’ catcher on the team!” Echo calls out, standing up to try and get me to hold my bat up like I’m about to swing. “Not very fast runnin’, but she’d hit et far ‘nough that she’d have time teh go many bases!”  
“P’ease stop...” I sigh, then I see my pups and wife looking at me expectantly. “Fine.”  
“The practice ball is still set up on the tree just off the deck.” Echo tells me and tosses me my boots.  
After making sure the area is clear of snow and everyone is far enough back, Echo holds the ball away from me, ready to send my way.  
“I’m ah bit outteh practice...” I grumble and get ready, putting my caged helmet on.  
Swinging my bat in a circle next to my side to stretch out my wrist, however, I find that the aluminum one that I used to think was too heavy for me, is quite light. Almost too light that it might mess up my swing. I take a test swing off to the side to check and find it will be fine.  
“Lighter then you ‘member?” Echo asks curiously, putting on a helmet as well.  
“...Yeah... Just ah little bit.” I mumble and stand at the ready for the ball on the rope.  
I put all my power behind my swing and soon find it easier and easier as muscle memory and years of rigorous training returns. Penny is staring at me almost dreamy-eyed and I wink at her, forcing down my own blush as I see her cheeks darken.

The rest of the gifts were more normal, like clothes and silly little trinkets for my father’s collection. Pam gave Penny and I some more books and Echo got the pups some candy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had an idea.... then it started to fall apart near the end... This is what I got before then. Hope you enjoyed! Comments and kudos always welcome!


	14. Ruined Plans and Big News

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I kinda just came up with this. Realized I hadn’t updated any of my stories, so I started just writing. Here is the result. Bye!

(Penny)  
“Penny?” I hear my girlfriend mumble out my name as she fidgets around on her chair opposite mine at her dining table. “I-I... I had more planned, but uh...”  
The sudden spring thunderstorm decides to re-announce itself with a big boom of thunder that seems to rattle the whole house.  
“The storm disrupted things?” I giggle and she nods with a sigh, poking her spaghetti with her fork a little. “You seem really nervous, Shadow... Is something wrong?”  
“Can’ keep thin’s from yeh, can I?” She jokes and stands, fishing in her pocket for something. “L-like I said, I had ah much more romantic w-way of doin’ this planned...”  
I gasp when I see what she pulls out.  
“Shadow? Are you...?”  
Her grin is sheepish when I look back up at her face.  
“I know we’ve o-onl’ been tehgether since fall... I-I jus’... I dunno...”  
“Yes.” I squeak as it is all I can manage with my overwhelming excitement and rapidly blurring eyes.  
“Yer jus’ so pretty an’ sweet an’... an’...” The silver haired woman did not hear me and keeps rambling until I catch her face in my hands and force her to look at me.  
“Shadow, I-I said yes.” I repeat my answer and watch as her brain catches up.  
“O-oh m’ god, Penny!” She yells and throws herself at me, knocking both us to the floor, but we don’t care. “I love yeh soooo much!”  
“I love you, too.” I manage between fits of giggles at her behavior.  
“Wait!” My new fiancée suddenly gets off me to sit up and pull me into her lap. “‘Ere!” She brushes my hair aside to clasp the necklace with the mermaid pendant around my neck.  
“It’s beautiful, Shadow... H-how did you afford it?” I ask as our finger intwine.  
“Would yeh believe meh if I told yeh ah ghost gave et teh meh?” I stare at her incredulously. “Et’s the truth. Ah spirit of ahn old mariner on the beach gave et teh meh an’ wished meh luck...”  
“I’m still not sure I believe that, but maybe we can go see if that ghost is there sometime.” I tell her and she pouts a bit.  
“Fine... Yeh read’ fer the dance tehmorrow?”  
“I am, are you?”  
Her arms tighten around me as we sit there on her floor, Alpha the farmdog watching with mild interest from his dog bed.  
“Read’ as I’ll ever be...” She sighs. “I think we shouldn’t tell ‘em ‘bout...” Her hand covers mine that still holds the pendant. “U-uh... I mean not ‘til the end of the dance... Don’ wann-ah steal the festivals thunder.” Thunder booms as she finishes and we both laugh at the timing.

(Next Day, Shadow)  
“Uh, ever’one!” I call out as the crowd starts to disperse and converse with each other.  
Penny’s hand slips into mine and I see Pam’s even stare at me despite her slightly drunken state and it makes me flinch slightly.  
“What’s up?” Abigail asks as she now stands in front of Penny and I.  
My love just pulls the chain around her neck out to show off the pendant she has been hiding, tucked into her dress. The crowd is silent and I get lost in my mind, fearing rejection and hate. A hand on my back brings me back and I see Pam, still with a neutral expression, in front of me.  
“U-uhmm... I-I was gunnah ask y-yer permission...... I-I-I...” I struggle to speak in my fear until I see Pam’s small grin.  
“You’re a good kid, Shadow. I know you’ll take care of her... Just know I’m watching you.” She tells me and with another rough(-ish) pat to my back, she simply walks away, leaving me and everyone in shock.  
Pam does not ‘hate’ me or anything. However, I’m not her ‘favorite’ person in the world either.  
“W-was that ‘er ‘cceptin’ meh?” I ask Penny and she shakes her head, unsure as well.  
The rest of the town seems to recover with Jas and Vincent jumping at us, hugging tight.  
“Ms. Penny’s getting married!” Jas giggles and Penny hugs her back as I have to contend with an overexcited and therefore squirmy Vincent.  
“Auntie Shadow’s gonna marry Ms. Penny! Then Ms. Penny’ll be Auntie Penny!” Vince, who considers me as he put it ‘an honorary aunt’ even though we are not related, pretty much shouts in my ear, but I don’t mind. Jodi steps forward knowing her son is getting too big to be jumping at people like this. I just smile at her, slightly sharper and longer canine teeth showing and it seems to remind her that I am much stronger than I look. Penny has to set Jas down and the girl jumps at me, knowing I can handle it while the townsfolk gasp. Alex and George snicker at the reactions, knowing a werewolf’s hidden strength, as Evelyn smiles warmly.

“So, how’s it feel?” Abby asks me once everyone starts walk away, having congratulated Penny and I.  
“Huh? How’s whut feel?...” I question back as I refill my cup of punch.  
Penny is chatting with Maru, pretty animatedly I observe, before returning my attention to my best friend.  
“Being engaged, you idiot!”  
“Oh.” I snort and sip my drink as I think. “... Nuthin’ feels diff’rent, teh be honest, Abby... ‘sides bein’ super happy an’ nervous fer the weddin’... Et feels, well... right.” Again my gaze lands on my soon-to-be wife and she is looking over at me.  
Both Maru and Abigail laugh when we look away, blushing.  
“Shut up, noob.” I halfheartedly grumble, but cannot stop my grin as I shove the purplette lightly.  
“Idiot.” She retorts with a tongue out.  
“Dweeb.” I stick my own tongue out at her.  
“Nerd.”  
“Heh, et’s not an insult when et’s true, Abby.” I laugh at her huff.  
“Yeah, you’re right. I think Lewis wants to talk to you. Talk later?”  
“Sounds good... G’bye.”  
“You and Penny?” Lewis says as he stands in the spot my friend just vacated. “You two are adorable.”  
“Th-thanks...” I mumble as Penny joins us.  
“Have you decided when you want the wedding?”  
“On the 26th, Lewis.” Penny tells him and he raises an eyebrow.  
“That’s awfully soon... What about the 28th?”  
“N-no, not m’ birthday.” I say and he looks surprised. “I-I thought yeh knew m’ birthday...”  
“I did not. The 26th it is. I’m going to start the arrangements.”


	15. Tired Thoughts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another little thing I’ve put together. Hope you guys enjoy! Bye!

Tired Thoughts

(Shadow)

“Do you think your grandpa would be proud of the work we’ve done?” Penny asks as we hold each other under the mound of blankets we piled on our bed.

“I-I hope he’d be proud...” I tell her honestly. “...Why yeh ask?...”

“Just thinking.” She responds with a peck to my hand she has had trapped in her grip for the past couple hours, not that I mind. “I think he would be proud.”

“Hmm...” I hum and shift to look at her more directly, propped up on my elbow. “...maybe...”

  
The high wind knocks a branch against the bedroom’s bay window repeatedly and I make a mental note to trim it back before it causes any damage to the house.

  
“Did... did yeh ever meet ‘im, babe?” I question my wife and she looks back at me, the side of her face pressed against her own shoulder as she turns her head. “Yeh’ve lived ‘ere yer whole life...”

“You said it yourself, honey. Your grandfather didn’t come into town much... But, I did see him a few times. When I was a kid.”

“...H-he died when I was 12... ‘most 3 years teh the date after I had gone teh live wit’ m’ da... Yeh wouldah been, whut... uh, 8?”

“I was 9. My birthday had just passed when we heard of his death.” She seems to think hard for a moment, like she is trying to remember a really old memory. “I... I think I-I did meet you...”

“Huh?” I am already confused, but don’t make another sound as she is digging through her memories again.

“...I can’t recall exactly what was going on, but I think I saw you outside Pierre’s when your grandpa came to get supplies. You... You were writing in a journal of some kind and...” Her face gets really red. “I ran into you as I was running from... nevermind...”

  
I stare at her questioningly, but the redhead clearly does not want to tell me what she was running from that day. If I had to try to guess? Possibly the other children in Pelican Town... or maybe a big spider, perhaps? Whatever, I won’t push her to tell me. Not now, not ever.

  
“Journal?... I did keep ah notebook when I was ‘ere. Might still have et...” We look at each other and watch as the curiosity grows in our eyes until is too much.

I’m the one to get out of the blanket mound because I know roughly where that notebook should be, with my many other notebooks I’ve had over the years. I don’t call them ‘diaries’ or even ‘journals’ since most entries are pretty much incomplete jumbles of thoughts I just wanted to get down so I don’t forget. The over decade old composition notebook is easy to tell from the newer ones as the pages are yellowish and the binding and cover are worn from use.

  
“...Damn...” I let out in my disbelief as I find a page I guess I visited often if the intense bunny-ear is an indication. “...’I-I saw ah pretty gurl tehday when I went wit’ gran-pa teh the store.’”

  
Penny’s eyes widen as I set the book in her lap. “‘Her hair was like copper the sun made it look like it was on fire.’” She reads and glances slyly at me as she blushes. “‘She run into me and we would have fell hard on the stone pavers not for me catching her.’” She giggles. “You weren’t the best writer were you, Shadow? There is even a picture of the two of us... I think Pierre took it... Pretty sure that blur is Abigail with her mom and Jodi in the corner there...”

  
“Hmph... If yeh’d look at the date, I was onl’ 9! Yeh prob’bly weren’ much better!”

“Okay, okay.” She giggles again before going quiet and just looks at me. “You thought I was pretty? I was 5.”

  
“Ever’thin’ I wrote i-in there was whut I thought or saw... I-I never planned on an’one readin’ the notebooks, but meh... So et is all the truth...” I mumble and try my best to avoid looking at her in my embarrassment. “P-plus! L-l-look at yerself, babe!” I point to the adorable young Penny next to the child me in the picture.

  
“Even at 9, you were such a flirt.” We both laugh at this, spooning as close as we can get under the blankets once more.

“Not like I-I couldah helped et! Yeh were adorable! As yeh are now an’ will always be!!”

Emerald eyes give me a disbelieving side eye, but I can see her bashful smile and bright blush (even in our darkened bedroom), before she sighs and closes her eyes while holding my hand tight in both hers. “I’m glad we ended up meeting again.”

“Mmmm, same.” I reply and kiss her gently. “Yer birthday’s comin’ up...” She hums and rests her back against my front more. “... an’ theirs is gonnah be an’ time now...”

“I just hope they don’t share my birthday.”

“...Et would be ah bit odd teh share ah birthday wit’ yer mum-ah...” I speak as if the unborn pups can hear me, moving my hand (and pulling Penny’s with), to rest over my wife’s stretched stomach. “Maybe ah couple days befer or maybe ah couple days after would be good, guys... whutyeh think, _mum-ah_?”

Chuckles escape my mate as she tries to answer. “I do not know, _mom_. I wouldn’t care either way.”

I huff dramatically and curl more into my wife.

“Getting tired?” She asks, slightly amused.

“Kindah...” I let out a big yawn. “...Well... G’night, I guess...”

“Mmm” She hums, already mostly asleep.

“‘uve you, Sha-dow.”

“Love yeh...”


	16. Family Helping Family

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> -> This is somewhat using the multiplayer idea. However, while I do own the PC version as well as the Xbox One version (what I usually play on, since save is much farther progressed), my laptop is kinda giving out on me. It isn’t good for gaming (never really was, honestly...). So, my knowledge of the update is based on what I’ve seen on Youtube and read of it online.
> 
> ->I took some liberties with how big the farm is and how far west it stretches. Basically imagine that the cliff that cuts off the farm on the west side is pushed back to double the farm’s size and thats what I’m meaning in here.

Family Helping Family

(Shadow)

 

There is knocking at the door, so I get up from where I’m watching “Bolt” with my pups and my mate. It’s an animated movie I loved when I was a pup (I still love it).

 

“Who could that be?” Penny asks, moving to extract herself from the pile of our pups she is buried under, but I motion for her to stay.

 

Opening the door, I come face to face with Echo and her brothers.

 

“Shadow! We’re sooo sorree teh come by like dis!” She says quickly. “O-our mum said she’s tired of our shit an’ dat we’re three grown adults! Th-that we shouldn’ be still livin’ at home! Then she... she kicked us out! I didn’ know where else teh go! I-I didn’ want our mum teh get mad at yer dad, so I knew we couldn’t go there an’... an...”

 

I grab onto her and the boys and hug them tight. “Et’s ok.” I tell them simply when they start crying.

 

“Is that Echo?” My mate asks as she walks over. “Did something happen?”

 

“Oh! Penny!” Echo says and pulls away from the hug to look at her while I lead Spark and Surge inside.

 

I can only hear a little of what they are saying as the pups hit play on the movie that we had paused, turning up the volume a lot on accident.

 

“Apollo, turn that back down.” I tell my son who took the remote off the coffee table.

 

“Uncle Spark? Uncle Surge?” Artemis is confused by seeing the young adults in our house so unexpectedly. “Is Auntie Echo ‘ere, too?”

 

“She is. And they will be staying with us for a while.” My love tells them as she walks into the living room with Echo following. “It’s late. You need to get to bed.”

 

“But mum-ah! They just got ‘ere!” Apollo whines and I glare at him.

 

“Bedtime.” I simply say and the twins head upstairs as I turn to my wife. “Yeh gonnah put Madison to bed?” I know our second youngest is currently falling asleep on the couch and the youngest has been slumbering in his crib for the past half hour or so. “I’ll need teh get the bed outtah the couch an’ dig out the inflatable mattress...”

 

She takes Madison up to the pups’ bedroom while I busy myself with removing the cushions from the couch so I can get to the pullout. Once that is set up, I move to the storage closet to find our air mattress.

 

“I can set dat out, since I’ll be usin’ et. Spark an’ Surge can share deh couchbed...” Echo says and takes the box from me when I turn around again. “Yeh should get teh bed, teh. Penny just came back downstairs an’ I think she’s waitin’ fer yeh.”

 

Sure enough, my mate is standing in the doorframe to our bedroom watching Echo’s twin brothers quietly argue over the space on the pullout’s mattress.

 

 

(The next morning, barely morning)

 

“‘Ey, babe?” I ask as I think of something. “Yeh awake?” She hums and rolls over to look at me. “Whut if we had Robin build ah cabin on the other edge of the farm?”

 

“What for?”

 

“Echo, Spark, an’ Surge... yeh know we onl’ use ‘bout half of the actual property, right?”

 

“You mean the farm stretches farther into the forest?!” She asks me in disbelief.

 

“Yeah, ‘cordin’ teh Louis, our land goes pretty far west, teh some cliffs that mark the valley’s western edge. But, I’ve never used more then half the acres...”

 

“So you’re thinking of clearing that other half up and letting Echo and her brothers live on it?”

 

“Yes. If et’s ok wit’ yeh. Et’s yer land, teh.”

She presses her lips to mine and smiles when she pulls away.

 

“Of course it is fine. They need somewhere to stay and our house is already a bit cramped with the two of us and the 4 pups. 3 more people is a bit too much.”

 

“I’ll go see Robin when I wake up.”

 

“When you wake up? Aren’t you awake now?” She asks, eyeing me as I snuggle into the blankets and pillows.

 

“Mmm, nope!” I answer and bury my face back into my warm pillow. “Teh early!”

 

 

(Couple days later)

 

“Don’ yeh dare open yer eyes!” I tell Echo, Spark, and Surge as I lead everyone through the woods on the path Robin made so she could get the building supplies to the site.

 

My, I guess you could say ‘all-but-officially-adopted’, siblings hold hands so they don’t get separated and Penny has our pups in tow.

 

“On three, yer gonnah open yer eyes...” I start, but realize Spark is facing the wrong way entirely, so I just grab his shoulders and turn him. “There... One, two... two an’ ah quarter!... two an’ ah half!...”

 

“Get on wit’ et!!” Echo yells with a grin.

 

“THREE!” I shout and step out of the way.

 

The cabin that was built for them is an actual log cabin. It’s quite adorable, to be honest.

 

“Shadow, yeh didn’!” Echo has tears in her eyes as she processes what she is looking at. “A-are yeh sure...?”

 

“Completely.” I tell her and dangle the key ring with the three copies of the cabin’s key. “Lewis, uh... the mayor once told meh that granpah’s farm goes all the way teh that cliff over there... I’m fairly confident I’ll never be able teh successfully use all the land, even wit’ the pups help. Sooooo... yeh can use this half! All the way teh ‘bout where I started the fences.”

 

“Robin even said that if you ever want to live separately from each other, she is always available to build other cabins on your half.” My wife adds as the pups are almost as excited as their aunt and uncles. “Shadow give them the keys already.” She laughs, rocking our newborn pup in her arms.

 

“Ok, ok.” I chuckle and toss the keyring to my oldest friend, letting her and her brothers run inside their new home, followed by Apollo, Artemis, and Madison.

 

“We did good, didn’ we?” I ask and take little Xavier from Penny’s arms. “I think Abby will be happy.” I wink at my mate with a smirk.

 

“Yes, we did. And I think she will be very happy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wish you could have more than just the two kids. Madison and Xavier are the two I have in my game. Since Madison was already in the story, I thought I might as well add Xavier, too. I totally headcanon Penny and the farmer having a biiiig family.


	17. Echo and Abigail (Part One)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This goes back to take place right after the Holidays oneshot. Late the next spring after the oneshot to be precise.
> 
> I HAVE A HEADACHE AND I AM SLEEPY AS I WRITE THIS! IT MAY HAVE SOME ISSUES! FEEL FREE TO POINT THEM OUT IN COMMENTS SO I CAN FIX THEM!
> 
> EDIT: after a little rest and painkillers, I took a crack at the spelling and grammar issues in here. Probably missed some things still...

Echo and Abigail (Part One)

 

(Shadow)

 

Echo is visiting, for once without her brothers because they have school. Tomorrow she plans to spend the day with the pups and Penny, but for today, she and I are finishing up my farmwork, so we can head to the beach. We just need to pick up some seeds from Pierre’s.

 

“I still can’ believe how pretty yer mate is!” Echo says and nudges my shoulder with hers.

 

“Heh, I’m not even sure some days how I got sooo damn lucky...” I tell her and push back at her.

 

We stop near the bulletin board just pushing each other while still standing side by side, trying to see who is stronger. We did little things like this all the time growing up, much to her mother’s irk and my father’s amusement. Since we were always fairly matched in everything from height to strength, it would end as a standstill with us stuck and not budging. Neither of us winning and neither of us losing. Now, however, I am much stronger from my farm chores and when I begin to feel my friend give, I back off to keep us from ending up on the cobblestone path.

“...I am positive yeh’ll find ah mate, Echo.” I tell her. “Let’s start thinkin’ of whut yeh’d want yer mate teh be like! That’ll help... I-I, uh, think? Yeah, then I can try an’ help yeh!”

 

“Yeh know I like girls.” She says and I hum as she opens the store door.

I go to step in first only to run into someone in my distracted state.

 

“Abigail!” I hear Pierre yell from within the store at the same time Echo shouts my name.

 

“A-Abby? Shit, yer like ah wall of bricks teh run inteh!” I joke and hold my forehead that had smacked her chin hard since my head was bowed a little.

 

 

“Same to you, Shadow!” My purple haired friend laughs as we move out of the entryway. “How’re you this morning?”

 

“I’m good, aside from this little thin’... OH! Echo, this is Abigail. Abby, this is m’ sister, Echo!” We are close enough to practically be sisters, so at this point I call her my sister. Abby looks between us, confused.

“We’re not actually related, but we’ve been best friends since we were pups... Plus, I used teh take care of ‘er.” I finally look to Echo to find her staring at my newer friend in almost awe.

 

“Well, I told Sam and Sebastian I’d be over to practice for our next stage show today. See you around, Shadow. I-I hope I see you again, Echo.” I swear I see a blush on her cheeks as she avoids Echo’s eyes.

 

“Y-yeah, I-I hope we do. S-see each other d-dat is... G’bye...” My (clearly crushing) sister tells her with a matching blush, following Abby with her eyes as the purplette makes her way out the door.

 

“OH MY GOSH! Yeh two were adorable!” I practically squeal and hug the woman. “Weren’ they Pierre?”

 

Abby’s dad stops pretending not to be watching us as I address him, instead making his presence more obvious.

 

“I have to admit, I have seen Abigail act that way only a few times before.” He tells us as we walk closer (more like I drag Echo over). “The usual, Shadow?” I nod and he looks through the bag next to him before answering. “I need to get a couple more of the seeds from storage. Why don’t you take what’s here and I’ll have the rest ready in say... an hour or two?” He winks subtly at me and I’m still confused, but I think it’s something he wants to talk to me about alone or whatever.

 

I just play along because last time he did this, he needed my help with setting up a birthday party for Abby. Another time before that, he needed assistance with some heavy crates that he was too embarrassed to admit were too heavy for him. “Yeah, sure, I guess. Echo an’ I can start plantin’ whut yeh got fer us now an’ I can come get the rest teh do tomorrow.”

 

(Later; I guess you could think of this as a ‘character info’ thingy for Echo since she’s been in a couple oneshots, but there isn’t much detail on her...)

 

“So, whut’dyeh need Pierre?” I ask after making sure the store is empty.

 

“That girl you were with earlier. Who is she?” He asks rather abruptly and I step away from the counter. “Sorry, sorry. It’s just... I have only seen Abigail act like that a couple times and before I explain my other ideas, I wanted to make sure your friend would be good.”

 

“Uhh, sure... Whut did yeh wannah know ‘bout Echo?”

 

“To start, is Echo truly her name? Like how your name is actually Shadow? And... how do you know her?”

 

“Yup an’ yup, ‘er name is Echo. Our families have weird ways of pickin’ names that even I don’ fully understand... Et’s part of the reason Penny an’ I chose more ‘normal’ names for the pups... ANYWAY! We grew up tehgether even though I’m ah couple years older. Used teh watch ‘er an’ ‘er younger brothers.”

 

“Okay. Is she a werewolf like you... a-and Penny?” The fact he added Penny surprises me. Most people don’t like to think of the town’s adorable bookworm as anything other than,well, that. Even though she doesnow have her wolf form. I nod. “Does she have good control?”

 

“I taught ‘er most of whut I learned from Gran’pah, Evelyn, George, an’ m’ da. So, yes, I like to think she’s got ah great handle on ‘er wolf.”

 

“Evelyn and George?...Nevermind, I’ll not ask.” He shakes his head. “Now, the real reason I wanted you here... Would you help me get Abigail a date? I’ve actually been meaning to ask you since you are her best friend and I trust you more than Sam and Sebastian. They are great boys, but I doubt they’d agree or even hear me out at all. Now that I’ve seen her and Echo interact, I think this may be easier then originally thought.”

 

“I-I don’ think et’d be smart teh meddle wit’ ‘em... Though they did seem cute tehgether...”

 

“If it all starts to fall apart, I swear I’ll take all the blame!” He rushes to assure me. “I-I just want her to be happy. I think being alone and seeing you and Penny together has only made it harder for her.” I look back at him. “It probably is not my place to say, but before you two started dating, and even a little after, Abigail had a crush on you, Shadow.”

 

“Sh-she liked meh?!” I squeak in shock. “I-I mean, I know Penny an’ I started datin’ real quick, so she had teh have l-liked meh when we m-met... Shittttt...”

 

“Like I said, it probably wasn’t my place to say anything, but that is why I want to help her.”

 

I think for another few moments before answering.

 

“I’m in... N-now I need teh go. G’bye Pierre. Echo an’ I are headed teh the beach.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, if anyone finds any MAJOR issues that need addressing, feel free to comment or pm me so I can correct it.


	18. A Quick Jog through a Memory

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it’s short. I’m sleepy writing again. Might look like crap when I read it again in the morning, but right now... it looks fine enough to post. So, here you guys go!

(Shadow)

 

“Abby?” I get my friend’s attention  and she looks to me when the game we’re playing finishes. “I-I have teh ask yeh sumthin’...” My purple haired friend raises an eyebrow. “...I, uh...” I feel my cheeks darken. “Promise not teh laugh?” I hear my voice start squeaking and get even more embarrassed.

 

She rolls her eyes before staring me dead in the eyes. “I promise. Now what’s got you all nervous.”

 

“I-I, umm... how do I p-put this...”

 

“Spit it out already, nerd.” We laugh for a moment. “Seriously, you can tell me anything.”

 

“I-I like Penny!” I almost shout and there is silence.

 

After a couple moments my friend speaks up.

 

“You like her? As in you like-like her?”

 

I just nod and curl up on the pillow I’m sitting on, hiding my face. When I peak up at her, I catch a brief expression of sadness before it disappears off Abigail’s face.

 

“Why did you tell me this, Shadow?”

 

“I-I... needyourhelp.” I rush through.

 

Never been very good at asking for help...

 

“My help?”

 

I nod again, making a couple strands of my hair fall in my face, somehow getting behind my glasses before I push them away again.

 

“I’ve never... done anythin’ like this befer...” I mumble, barely loud enough to be heard. “Had ah crush once, but, uh... didn’ work out... Never got the chance teh even tell ‘er...... Plus w-we were young kids.”

 

“I’ll help you.” My best friend says finally and I stare at her in shock.

 

“Y-yeh will?!” She nods and I tackle her in a tight hug in my excitement. “Thankyehthankyehthankyeh!!”

 

“G-geez, calm down. You’re gonna make my mom come in here all worried.”

 

I jump back and get off her quickly.

 

“I-I’m sorree.”

 

“It’s okay.” Her smile seems sad, but I’m too happy to really think about it. “... Let’s come up with a gameplan.”

 

 

(Years later, still Shadow)

 

“...Et all makes sense now...” I mumble after telling my mate about the memory of me asking my best friend to help me ask out my crush. “P-Pierre wasn’t lyin’...”

 

“It seems he wasn’t.” Penny mumbles, too.

 

“I-I feel horrible now... I... asked ‘er fer help gettin’ yeh an’ was completely blind teh how she felt...” My face is buried into my wife’s collarbone as we lay in bed. “Why am I so oblivious sumtimes?”

 

“I’m not going to deny the fact that you can be oblivious, but... you couldn’t have known, honey.”

 

“I feel like I have teh help now!... I-I owe et teh ‘er... an’ Echo, who I promised teh help already...”

 

“I still can’t believe you can be such a bragger to your...” She hesitates for a moment, unsure if it is okay to call Echo my sister when we really aren’t related (as far as we know). “sister.”

 

“She started et! She said an’ I quote! I can’ believe yeh got such ah beautiful mate! I think yeh got the best there is!! Yeh leave none fer the rest of us!” I roll us, so I lay on top, grinning down at her. “Of course I was gonnah feel proud when she put et like that!”

 

“I’m sure that’s not exactly what she said, but ok. I see your point.” Her cheeks are very bright. “Now come down here and kiss me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can probably accurately guess who the childhood crush might have been :)


	19. Telling Her

Telling Her

 

(Shadow)

 

I did not know what to expect when I entered Penny's trailer just now, but I was not expecting the mess in front of me. Penny is always so attentive to details that I just thought her home would always be near spotless no matter when I come over. I run into my crush as I am looking around at everything. She just happens to turn so we are chest to chest.

 

"O-oh! S-sorree Penny!" I yelp and jump back when I feel her against me.

Her face is nearly as red as mine when I look up through my shortish silvery hair that got all over my face when I moved away. Some of it gets in my mouthwhen I go to speak again and I try to spit it out to no avail.

 

"Ugh! Hair in m' mouth..." I mumble, managing to get the offending silver strands out and Penny laughs cutely at my struggle. "...Least yeh got the decency teh try teh hide yer laughin'..."

 

"I'm sorry, Shadow." She tells me and reaches to help me return my hair to my regular style, without seeming to realize what she is doing for a couple moments before pulling her hands back fast. "U-uhhh..."

 

"Et's okay, Penny..." I tell her and rest a hand on her arm when she won't look at me. "R-reall', et is..." She still will not turn her head so I can see her face again, so I try to change the conversation. "Wh-whut happened 'ere?..."

 

"What?" She asks then it clicks. "Oh! The mess. Yeah, I-I was about to start cleaning when you came in..." She trails off and we look around at the piles of dishes and clothes (both dirty and clean) strewn everywhere.

 

"...Would yeh... like some help?..." I offer hesitantly.

 

"You want to help?" Her sudden happiness makes me feel great for offering, so I nod with confidence. “Ok. You start over there, I'll do the dishes and kitchen? Unless you want to help with the dishes?”

 

“I’ll dry ‘em.” I tell her and grab the towel on the counter.

 

We manage to get a bit done before Pam enters the trailer.

 

“‘ello.” I say simply as I dry the dishes that Penny hands to me. “Havin’ ah good day, Pam?”

 

I turn to add the plate I was just drying onto the pile of clean dishes and notice that she hasn’t responded. Cautiously looking to her, I see she appears extremely pissed off.

 

“A-a-are yeh okay?” I ask, getting a bit scared, and now Penny sees her mother.

 

“Shadow, I think you should go.”

 

“Huh?” I flinch unintentionally when Pam’s glare rests on me.

 

However when she glares at Penny again, I feel a rush of pure rage and it takes all of my strength not to attack. What the fuck is happening?

 

“U-uh, okay...” I dry my hands off and set the dishtowel on the counter. “We still gonnah go read on the beach tehmorrow, Penny?” I get a shy nod and I smile back equally as shy, dropping it when I turn to face the angry Pam. “G’bye.”

 

I glance back before I exit the trailer and lock eyes with my crush for a moment before I remember what I was doing.

 

I kick a rock into the river to try and get rid of the rage that so suddenly filled me. It helps, but it isn’t enough. I’m going to need to go hunting.

 

“Whut the hell is happenin’?!” I growl. “Why’d I just get so angry when she glared at Penny?”

 

I growl lowly at myself for how close I came to losing my temper in there, heading back towards my farm. I am passing the bus when it hits me.

 

“Et can’ be...” I whisper in my disbelief and run to my house, hurriedly shutting the door and throwing off my boots and bag. “Where’s that book Da gave meh?”

 

I find it under a stack of papers I use to keep track of my finances, flipping instantly to the page I want.

 

“”When ah werewolf’s inner wolf chooses ah mate, the person may suddenly become hyper-protective of the individual, especially if the chosen ‘mate’ is not a werewolf...”” I stare at the words before reading on. “”The wolf will force them to protect their ‘mate’ from any perceived threat, no matter how small it may be.””

 

Alpha looks up at me as I drop heavily onto my bed. My mind is stuck replaying my interactions with Penny and trying to analyze the probability my wolf might have chosen her. Many of the puzzle pieces fit, makes so much sense. I grab a notebook to keep track.

 

“...I feel braver ‘round ‘er... Comfort’ble bein’ near ‘er... Protective of ‘er...” My mind begins to wander thinking about my crush and possible chosen ‘mate’. “She’s pretty... an’ smart... an’ so nice...” I catch myself when I glance at my mirror and see my near lovestruck expression.

 

“Fuckin’ ‘ell!” I whisper and toss the book and notebook away so I can lay flat on my back on my bed. “How am I gonnah tell ‘er?” I sit up. “She doesn’ even know I’m a werewolf! Shit, shit, shit!”

 

I grab my notebook again and write a quick note asking if she can meet me earlier then planned tomorrow and if she could come to my farm rather then us meet at the beach. Then I rush to put my boots on. I do not even realize that I should have grabbed my hoodie at the very least. Rain is pelting down, but I ignore it, more focused on running into town.

 

“Gottah get this teh ‘er!” I growl at myself and fail to see the patch of mud in my way until it is too late. “Gottah get this teh ‘er!”

 

My clothes are now covered in mud, but thankfully the letter is safe in my pocket, only the part sticking a tiny bit out of my jeans pocket getting some mud on it.

 

“Shadow?” I hear someone say my name as I run past the clinic. “Okay then...”

 

I reach the trailer and realize I have no idea how I am going to get this to her. Looking over to where Penny’s room is, I notice her window open a little. I debate if I should just toss the note through or if I should get her attention.

 

“Shadow?” Penny scares me and I turn to see her next to her window, looking out at me. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Um, well. I realized I fergot teh ask yeh earlier i-if yeh’d be willin’ teh come...” I take a calming breath. “by the farm earlier then we planned teh meet at the beach...” I remember my note and rush to get it out and hand it to her through the cracked window. “Was jus’ gonnah, I dunno... slide this in your window, maybe...” I shrug and she takes in my appearance now that I am in the light.

 

“You’re covered in mud.”

 

“I-I, uh, slipped. I’ll need ah shower.” I chuckle quietly. “W-well, I will leave yeh teh yer night... g’night.”

 

I run away before she can say anything. Before my wolf can compel me to do something I shouldn’t.

 

(The next day)

 

“Yeh can do this, Shadow.” I mumble to myself, pacing back and forth on my porch. “Yeh can do this...”

 

I see Penny walking up the path and I straighten out my clothes unintentionally.

 

“I-I’m sorree I had teh ask yeh ‘ere early...” I tell her when she is close enough. “I-I jus’...”

 

“It’s okay. Now it seemed like you have something to talk to me about?”

 

I nod and take her hand, ignoring how I feel my wolf howling at me to increase our physical contact, as I lead her farther from the entrance to the farm.

 

“I need yeh t-teh keep an open mind an’ not freak out.” I mumble, letting go and avoiding looking at her. “I need teh show yeh somethin’ an’ et’ll make whut I need teh tell yeh easier teh ‘xplain...” I glance at her and she nods. “Stay there.”

 

I back away from her and let the walls caging my wolf in my mind down.

 

“Shadow!” I hear her yell when I hunch over then she gasps when I fully transform.

 

I lay down in the remnants of my clothes, waiting for her to make a move. She watches me closely before seeming to decide to try and approach me. I simply huff and gently press my head into her hesitantly outstretched hand.

 

“What are you?” She asks and feels my fur. I nudge the book she hasn’t noticed next to me until she sees it. “”A Guide to Lycanthropy for Pups or the Newly Turned”.” Her emerald eyes stare into my own and I get nervous. “A werewolf.”

 

I whine slightly and stand up, going to the bag of new clothes I set out and drag it behind a thick tree.

 

“So, uh...” I mumble as I return to her. “That’s whut I wanted teh show y-yeh...”

 

“...That is not everything?” She asks and I shake my head slowly. “What else is there?”

 

I sit down on a stump and pat the space next to me until she joins me.

 

“Before I say more, I want teh assure yeh nothin’ will ever happen unless yeh want et teh...” I take the book from her hands and open to the page on mates and let her look it over before continuing when I see her blushing, having started piecing together what I might be getting at. “I-I don’ know how or wh-when, b-but...”

 

“You think your wolf has chosen me?”

 

I nod and stare at the ground. “Y-yeah. Everythin’... et fits... a-all the signs m’ Da an’ gran’pa taught meh teh watch fer...”

 

“Signs?” She asks and I look at her. “The ones in the book here?”

 

“Yes. I’ve never been as comfort’ble ‘round anyone as I am ‘round yeh... I feel braver, teh... an’, ummm... well, I am apparently gettin’ protective as well.”

 

“Apparently?”

 

“M’ wolf kept tryin’ teh urge meh teh protect yeh from yer mum yesterday... a-an’ now that I think ‘bout et, there are other times, teh...”

 

Silence falls over us as we let things sink in. I scan the forest around us. Normally monsters only come out at night, but I never take any unnecessary chances.

 

“So, what now?” Penny’s voice pulls me back to look at her.

 

“Um, like I said e-earlier, nothin’ ever has teh come of this unless yeh want et. Et’d be kindah painfully fer meh an’ I’d have m’ wolf angry at meh, but I understand if yeh don’ wannah see meh ever again...”

 

“No!” The redhead startles me yet again and grabs onto my hands. “No, I like talking with you. I want to stay friends with you. I-I don’t think I’m ready for anything more.”

 

“I-I get et.” I smile at her before a thought occurs to me and I chuckle at it. “Guess, um, guess yeh could say yeh got ah personal bodyguard now...”

 

“I guess I do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this may seem to conflict with the second oneshot in this work (I’m Yours), but it does not and here I will explain: Basically, even though they are dating by the time the Fall Fair came around, they still never really thought much on the whole ‘mates’ thing until the whole ordeal with the werewolf Clyde. That’s why I won’t be changing “I’m Yours” at all to make it ‘fit’ more after this one time-wise.


	20. Moon

Moon

 

(Shadow)

I hear Penny as she walks up the path to my farm. “You okay? You haven’t come into town the past couple days.”

 

“I’m fine.” I manage to ground out, but talking is hard. “Yeh should leave, Penny.”

 

“Why?”

 

She has gotten much more confident as we have been friends.

 

“Y-yeh jus’... yeh should, okay?” I tell her and flinch when I smell she has come closer. “Reall’, I-I don’ wannah end up doin’ somethin’ I shouldn’! I-I don’ wannah hurt yeh!”

 

This gives the redhead pause, but she is still too close and it is driving my wolf crazy to not get closer to her. It takes all my focus to stay still.

 

“P’ease...” I plead. “I can’... be ‘round yeh fer ah couple days...”

 

I feel my body reacting to her near me and I cannot hold my wolf in, so I run off into the forest.

 

(Days later)

 

By the time I finally get myself together enough and the full moon has passed, several days have gone by.

 

“You!” Someone yells behind me as I make my way to Penny’s trailer. “What have you done!?”

 

I flinch at the anger and force myself to look at Maru as she runs up to shove me back a step. She’s pretty strong.

 

“...Wh-whut’dyeh mean?” I blink at her, entirely confused.

 

“What’d you do to Penny?” Maru demands and I am still lost. “She said you told her you couldn’t be around her for a couple days and then just ran off without explaining!”

 

“Ohhhh....” I let out and get a bit embarrassed. “U-um there’s ah good explanation fer that...”

 

“Get to it then.” The other spectacled woman growls and I sigh.

 

“N-not ‘ere, p’ease... I swear I’m not ‘voidin’! Et’s jus’ ahh... sensitive topic fer meh teh talk ‘bout...”

 

I let her drag me into the back part of the clinic.

 

“Now spill, Shadow.”

 

“Well, I-I...” I swallow. “I swear I was jus’ doin’ et teh protect ‘er. I didn’ wannah end up hurtin’ ‘er.”

 

“Hurt her?”

 

I shift anxiously. “I-I’m not ah normal person...” She motions with a hand for me to continue. “.........I’MAHWEREWOLF!”

 

“Of course, you won’t give me a straight answer.” The inventor sighs.

 

“N-nononononooo! I’m serious!” Now I get a raised eyebrow. “...I’ve been one all m’ life. M’ da is one, so was gran’pa... A-anyway, umm... well...” My cheeks begin to heat up. “I-I don’ know how much yeh know ‘bout us, but, uh, ah werewolf’s inner wolf can choose ah lifemate... Et makes et hard teh not be near the person chosen an’ we want teh protect ‘em with our life... Sometimes the wolf chooses befer we even reall’ know the person an’ et makes et ah lot harder...” I pause and glance at Maru. “Full moons... Like whut we recently had... ummm, well... they’re linked teh, uhh, b-breeding? Makin’ pups?”

 

“Why are you telling me all this?” She sees the hope in my eyes.

 

“M’ wolf ch-chose someone... ‘ere in the Valley.” I swallow again, finding the next word I need to say near impossible. “P-Penny.”

 

“WHAT?!” The woman yells in her shock causing me to flinch at the volume.

 

“That’s why I t-told ‘er teh leave meh alone! S-so I wouldn’ hurt ‘er if I lost control of m’self!”

 

The inventor begins to pace and I sit down on one of the beds, watching her mutter to herself. Eventually, she comes to a stop in front of me.

 

“Have you told her?”

 

There it is, the question I was dreading.

 

“Y-yes?”

 

“Shadow.”

 

“I’ve explained teh ‘er the basics. An’ I p-promised nothin’ ever has teh come of this unless she is okay an’ wants et. M’ wolf should be content jus’ bein’ ‘round ‘er often...” I feel a blush again. “Didn’ explain ‘bout the full moon though...”

 

Maru lets out a frustrated groan. “Look, Shadow. You have to tell her. She’s been worried you suddenly hate her.”

 

I whine as those words cause my heart to sink a little. “Sh-she thinks I hate ‘er?” I get a nod and I’m on my feet instantly. “I-I need teh tell ‘er!”

 

Vaguely do I hear Maru yelling after me as I burst out the front door at a dead sprint. I have to find Penny!

 

(Maru)

 

“Werewolf, huh.” I mumble and look for Shadow’s file, finding it easily in Harvey’s small stack. “That would explain a lot of the odd things in Harvey’s reports... Higher body temperature, better hearing, sharper teeth...”

 

(Shadow)

 

I’m knocking loudly on the trailer before I even think about it fully.

 

“Kid, what do you want?” Pam asks, somewhat angry when she opens the door.

 

“I-I need teh talk teh Penny. Et’s urgent.” I manage to keep my voice mostly even.

 

The woman huffs before turning to get Penny’s attention. “Pen, it’s Shadow. Want me to tell her to fuck off?”

 

“P’ease don’! I-I reall’ need teh tell yeh somethin’, Penny!” I call into the trailer and Pam seems shocked by that since I am usually more quiet. 

 

“What do you want?” My friend askswhen she takes her mother’s place at the doorway.

 

“C-can I come inside?” I ask nervously, glancing around.

 

“I’m headed to the saloon.” Pam tells us as she steps out the door and I move back when she glares at me. “Don’t you go hurting her.”

 

Penny motions for me to come in when I look back at her.

 

“Sooo...” I begin as I pace around the trailer. “I-I need teh explain why I ran off...”

 

“That would be nice.”

 

I take a moment to just look at her. She looks as if she is putting on a brave face, but in reality is about to break down crying. And it looks like she has been crying or just upset.

 

“Y-yeh ‘member the whole thin’ I told yeh ‘bout mates...?” I ask and she nods. “A-an’ ‘bout how m’ wolf chose yeh...?” Another nod. “W-well... there’s more teh et then jus’ that basic rundown... an’ et has teh do with the phases of the moon.” I begin to blush and for the life of me cannot maintain eye contact with her. “See, when ah female werewolf has ah mate... who also happens to be female,... full moons an’ the days surroundin’ ‘em cause ah sort of reaction in the mates... Et becomes ah time fer, uh... makin’ pups would be the best way teh put et... If both mates are werewolves, they will both react... one will become super fertile... The other...” My friend’s eyebrows furrow as she listens. “W-well that mate will grow ah... ummmm... p’ease tell meh yeh see where this is goin’... I-I reall’ don’ wannah say et!”

 

I glance up at her and she just stares straight ahead, almost like she is looking through me when I kneel down in front of her.

 

“I-I didn’ wannah lose m’self teh m’ wolf’s instincts teh, um... breed... I didn’ wannah risk hurtin’ yeh.” I mumble. “Thats why I-I ran off.”

 

“You were protecting me.” The redhead says and looks me in the eye.

 

“Yeah... I told yeh befer, nothin’ has teh ever come of this if yeh don’ want et.” I tell her, all serious. “I meant et.” I let out a chuckle which causes her to look at me funny. “Et was lucky yeh were behind meh when yeh came teh the farm... becauze, um, well... I f-figured out which way _m’ body_ reacts on full moons...”

 

We both just sit there, red as tomatoes for a bit and listening to the rain that apparently started while I was explaining hit against the trailers metal roof.


	21. Shadow’s Mother

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realized that Shadow’s mom had been mentioned once in the story and there was never an explanation about what happened to her, so I decided to write this.
> 
> (Some irl issues may have also influenced it...)

(Penny)

 

“Can I ask you a question?” I ask as we cuddle on her couch.

 

“Hmm? Whut’s up?”

 

“What happened to your mother?” I backtrack when I realize how it came out. “I-I mean, you’ve never mentioned your mom and I’ve met your dad...” She freezes up and I look at her face to see tears threatening to form. “Shadow?”

 

“Et’s... complicated.” My girlfriend says shortly, avoiding my gaze, and I can practically _see_ her internal defenses going up. “She’s... she’s alive. A-an’ well last I heard, but she’s... gone.”

 

“Gone? Wouldn’t that hurt your dad? They were mates right? Like...” I feel myself blushing slightly despite the topic. “Like us?”

 

“They... were.”

 

I shift to see her face without craning my neck so much. “‘ _Were_ ’? I-I thought you said it was a lifetime thing.”

 

“Et is usually. In extreme cases though... the bond can be broken. Et’s horrible teh go through... fer everyone involved...” I remove her glasses and set them aside so I can gently wipe at the tears slipping from her eyes. She flinches a little at my touch. “I-I was old enough teh understand whut was happenin’, so et made et sortah easier fer us as m’ grandpah could explain thin’s teh meh. But, I-I could _feel_ their bond breakin’. Et was terrible... Et was like a piece of our little, I guess yeh could call et ah pack-bond, was slowly bein’ ripped away.” She sniffles and releases a small, watery laugh. “Yeh know fer the longest time I actually never wanted teh find out who m’ wolf would bond with...” There is a sheepish smile on her lips when she finally looks at me again. “Then I met yeh.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ALSO! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!


End file.
